A Krystal Encounter
by Justin C
Summary: This is my first submission to the website.  The story centers around a young teenager named Justin who yearns for something extraordinary to happen in his life. One day he get's his wish when he spots a mysterious golden staff in the grass.
1. A Staff in the Grass

My hands were trembling, no breathing exercise in the world could stop them. The room was quiet with only the sound of a nearby fan and my dog Nico to keep me company. I braced myself as my opponent sent out his last Pokemon, a Level 51 Gardevoir; a powerful Psychic type no less. My heart jumped as a supposed ray of hope made itself clear. For I had an ace up my sleeve, a Bug-Type Pokemon called Scyther; whom I nicknamed "Zhao Yun". Before sending him into battle I took a glance at the Type Match-Up chart strategically placed next to me for quick reference. Running my finger down the page's smooth surface, I wanted to confirm that I wouldn't be sending Zhao Yun into a losing battle; considering that rest of my team was either afflicted with a status ailment or low on health. If he was knocked out in the process, then my chances of winning would be completely dashed. Not to mention that I'd have to start from the very beginning of the Elite Four's challenge. This made me cringe; After about a dozen or so restarts losing again would probably leave my DS handheld in pieces on the floor. I wasn't about to let that happen.

_"Yes! I was right! Bug is strong against Psychic." _I thought as I studied the chart intently. With no amount of hesitation left in me, I shifted Zhao Yun into the fight and chose his first move, all in a matter of seconds. I held my breath in tightly, I could do nothing but watch and see who would attack first. Suddenly, words typed their way into view on the screen's lower section,

"**Zhao Yun used X-Scissor! It's super effective!"**

Everything around me seemed to freeze as I read those words. They meant only one thing, I was about to move on to the final trainer in victory. The game began chiming it's winning jingle in a free way, I was unbelievably floored and proud of how far I've come.

"One down, three to go." I chirped to myself.

I let out a breath of satisfaction in seeing that none of my teammates had fainted, a very uncommon trait this far into the Pokemon League. With the tension I've been through so far, I decided to save and quit for now. It was very much like the feeling you get after stepping off a rollercoaster for the first time; you're immensely relieved that the ride is finally over yet you can't get stop reliving every twist, turn, loop, and drop. Still slightly shaken, I laid my head back against my soft, memory foam pillow; each and every inch of my skull was shaped into the plush surface, creating an absolutely perfect fit. My name is Justin, kind of a boring one huh? Both my parents agreed on that when I was born. And I'm just your typical laid back teenager who loves to play videogames, slack off, read, and slack off again; see a pattern there? Since I was a kid it has been the extent of what I do with my life, and it suits me just fine. My room is stocked with figurines, models and posters of all shapes and sizes; including my black furred dog Nico that never leaves my side for a second. For some time now I find myself just lying still in my bed and letting my imagination take flight. Like a prison inmate who dreams of being paroled, I'd just sit there; frozen in time and space. My imagination took me to some pretty far out places if I let it completely take over. Places like the Pokemon Universe in which I was a trainer. This always brought a giddy smile to my face no matter how silly it seemed. The fact of the matter is, I was bored with my life. My best friend was a dog, I had no girlfriend to call my own, and the only outlet for me was writing. I didn't take pity from anyone, I only asked myself,

_"What did I do wrong?"_

Yet unbeknownst to me, events were about to unfold that would take me on an adventure beyond anything I could ever imagine, and meeting someone that would change my life forever. _"This is my story"._

After I set the DS down on the table next to my bed, I took a quick glance at Nico who was lying quietly at the foot of my bed. He occasionally lifted his head up to stare at me with chocolate brown eyes, like he was sensing something in the distance. I don't know why he chose me to follow around. Was it something I did when we first got him several years ago? I have no idea and now, he never leaves my side. Still, he is one of the best dogs in the world, even though he can be a bit off a pain in ass sometimes. If I took the time to name everything he did that made me want to tear my hair out by the roots, I'd be doing it until next year.

"It's only 1:30? Yeah, I think I have time to take a nap." I mused to myself with my eyes half-closed.

The only sound that was present in the room was the soft whir of the AC unit, which was very relaxing. With that I entered the place of dreams, a place known to no one else but me. Soon my nap was interrupted when I heard a loud noise from outside my window. BOOM WHOOOSSSHH! It startled both Nico and me as I sprang up to see what happened. When I looked out the window I saw nothing but a trail of black ash on the street and a small, golden staff lying on the front lawn.

"What the hell?" My whole body was washed with fear. Before alerting the police, I had to at least see where the object landed.

I ran to the end of my driveway and scanned the area for the source of the impact. But then I noticed the staff, it was long, gold-colored and had a twisting blue pattern all over it. At the end of it was an object that was sort of pinecone shaped and was also gold. I picked it up, examined it closely and began twirling it in my hands. I remembered taking a Bo Staff class during Martial Arts training so I recalled how to fluently handle one such as this. I stopped when I thought something peculiar; "Wait a minute, this does look familiar. Is this-" Suddenly, a painful cry from behind me pierced my heart. Ignoring everything else I dashed in its' direction, not even acknowledging _what _made the noise. All I could tell was that the voice was female and sounded kind of young. The wreckage of the strange object was not recognizable in the slightest, just a mangled shadow of what it once was. To me it resembled a starfighter of some sort, with a pointed fuselage that was offset by two, slanted wings. My eyes began to burn at the heat coming from the wreck, yet I continued to hear the voice from within. Once I got closer to the ship, I noticed that someone was indeed inside; I could make a blue-shaded form inside but nothing else was visible. To my horror, the gold-tinted canopy of the ship began to fog up rapidly and the voice started screaming in a language I didn't understand. It didn't take an idiot to know that this person needed help.

"Hold on! I'm gonna get you out! I you can hear me I'm gonna get you out!" I repeated with cupped hands around my mouth.

Instinctively, I reached for the front of the canopy's shield and pryed it open using all my strength. All that mattered was getting the smoke of there so this person could breathe. I grunted angrily as I continued to pull with all my might, the shield screeching and whirring like a broken engine. By the time the shield was open just a few feet, my palms turned a shade of red and trembled with shock. Using my foot to push it the rest of the way, a thick cloud of black smoke burst fourth and nearly blinded me. I shielded my eyes but was relieved to hear that the pilot was breathing as the smoke cleared. A bit hesitant in my movements, I stepped over to the now exposed cockpit and was stunned at what I saw, the woman returned my gaze with a puzzled but thankful look.

"Th...thank you. Cuh, cuh! I thought my death was assured." She said with a few coughs.

When I looked at her closely I noticed she had a deep slice on her left arm and was losing blood. _"Damn, that doesn't look good." _I thought.

"No problem but, your arm is bleeding."

The strange vixen clutched the wound tightly,

"You needn't worry, it's nothing." She tried to shrug it off.

I initially thought it would be crazy to bring an alien into my house, but I couldn't ignore the fact that she was in pain. Though my mind was disagreeing with me, I outstretched my hand,

"Come on, I'll take you inside. I have medicine that can heal your wound." I offered politely.

She tilted her head and studied me intently. I felt like an alien to her and not the other way around. Still, within moments, she cracked a smile and nodded.

"Of course, lead the way."

I carefully grasped her furred paw and trembled in doing so, it just felt so soft and warm to the touch. Using me as leverage, the vixen took a step up and over the broken canopy of her ship and onto the ground. She was probably the same height as me, about 6 feet or so; and wore very elegant clothing: a long, white loincloth and a diamond pendant around her forehead. She had a very lithe, hourglass figure and was covered with blue and white fur, with the white being on her stomach and chest. Her face had fox-like characteristics: a long, pointed muzzle, sharp ears atop her head and flowing blue hair that was braided into thick strands. I still had no clue how she got here but at that moment, I didn't care. I half-expected her to let go of my hand after stepping off the ship, but a slight tug on my palm told me otherwise. Looking back at her with a smirk, I escorted her into my house through the garage.

"It's this way." I said, opening the door.

Soon we arrived at my room after climbing a short staircase. What a strange spot I was in, I must have been crazy bringing her to _my_ room yet I couldn't think of anywhere safer. The door opened with a very slow _creeeeaaaack_ as the two of us stepped inside.

"Have a seat right here. I'll be back with the medicine." I said with a few pats to the bed sheets.

She then slowly glided her hand over the covers, exploring every contour and bend of its' surface. I addition to this, the vixen swiveled her head around to gaze at all the figures and models adorning the shelves.

"What a strange place you live in." The vixen announced in wonder.

Thankfully I remembered what my Mom did to quickly treat wounds such as this; being a Paramedic, she knew what to do. I snatched the Peroxide and Medical Tape from the bathroom cabinet and ran back into my room.

"I need to see your arm for a second. Alright?"

She nodded and I gingerly grasped her arm and applied the antiseptic.

"This might sting a little." I said as I dabbed the wound.

The slice began to sizzle with fluid as the Peroxide set in; it sounds disgusting, but I didn't mind. I slowly wrapped the bandage around her arm and taped it down.

"Wh… why are you helping me?" She asked softly.

"Do I need a reason? You're bleeding."

When I set her arm down at her side she smiled and looked at me with light, sapphire-colored eyes.

"Thank you young one. You are very kind." She said.

I smiled back, "Do you have a name?"

"My name is Krystal, of Planet Cerinia."

Before responding, I suddenly realized that I was still holding what I surmised to be her staff. It was simply lying on the front lawn after her ship crashed; I hoped that I didn't seem like a thief, so I handed it to her,

"I'm sorry but...is this yours?" Krystal's eyes lit up,

"My staff! Thank you so much. I had thought it was lost!" She exclaimed.

The blue-haired fox took a few sweeping glances around my room and asked;

"Wait, where am I?"

"You're on the North American Continent of planet Earth." I replied.

"Does it exist in the Lylat System?" She asked.

"No I'm afraid not. But how did you end up crashing here?" I questioned, puzzled at the name "Lylat System."

"I think I might have gotten separated from Fox and the rest of the Crew during a hyperspace jump. Then I ended up landing on this world."

A light suddenly came on in my mind...I recognized the name, Fox from Star Fox 64! One of my favorite childhood games. Though I didn't recognize Krystal as being a familiar character. Wait...how is he real? No I must be dreaming, there is no way a videogame character can be real! Yet it was all being spilled fourth; I guess those theories of parallel universes were true after all!

"Crash-landed is more the word." I quipped.

She smiled and chuckled a little. "-And then you saved me."

"I guess I did."

I started to get a bit shaky when I realized she was staring straight into my eyes, almost as if she was seeing through my soul. When she noticed that I was about to tense up she put a hand on my shoulder and said: "It's alright, I don't bite." She smiled at me and I relaxed somewhat.

"Your thoughts tell me that your familiar with Fox McCloud. Why is that?" Krystal asked, much to my surprise.

"Did you read my mind? Are you psychic or something?" I probed.

"I do possess telepathic abilities. Your thoughts are very interesting to listen to." She replied with a giggle.

I merely returned her with a blank stare and my mind began to race even faster than before,

"_Woah!, I didn't think she could read minds! That's cool and all but she might find out that I think she's pretty. Ah well, maybe she'll take that as a complement. Wait...I think she looks pretty? Guess my love of Foxes is starting to show."_

Krystal giggled even more and batted her eyes, while I just remained as dumbstruck as a door-knob.

"You think I'm pretty? Thank you."

Being smooth around women isn't something I'm good at. At this point she probably sensed that I was a loner and wasn't used to this. I hung my head in shame, I must look like a total idiot to her. Then she surprised me by placing her hand on my cheek. I froze in place and didn't speak, like a scared hamster.

"You don't need to be nervous around me Justin, I'm a nice girl." Krystal said caressing my face gently.

Great, now she knows my name without me uttering a single syllable. Maybe bringing her inside wasn't such a good idea. Then again, she does seem really nice. And those eyes...their so beautiful, almost hypnot-no! no! focus Justin, focus!

"Wait, how are you going to get back to Fox and the others?" I asked.

She paused for a minute and then realized she still had her hand-held communicator. She tapped a button and static came out of the speaker.

"Fox, come in. This is Krystal do you read me?"

She spoke into the device and eventually Fox McCloud's voice came online.

"Loud and clear, what's wrong?"

"I seemed to have gotten separated from the team when we made the jump to Hyperspace back on Corneria." She answered. "Where are you now Fox?"

"We are currently in the Dashing Zeta Cluster looking for you."

"Okay, make a jump to light speed towards these coordinates; I'll project them to you now."

The radio was silent for a few seconds.

"Roger that, we'll be there as soon as we can. Fox out."

Krystal then looked back at me.

"What exactly are you?"

I then remembered that she doesn't know about our race.

"Oh, I'm part of a species known as humans." I explained. "And this planet is our home."

I said as I pointed to a globe on top of the shelf. She raised her eyebrows when I showed her the amount of continents that existed on the planet.

"I see. You truly are fascinating!"

I blushed a little when she said this.

"Me, fascinating? I'm just some human kid." I said.

Krystal was about to respond when she suddenly felt a rumble emanate throughout the house.

"What's happening?" She asked a bit worried.

The object that I saw when looking out my window almost made me shit my pants, it was the Great Fox! When I was a kid I used to dream about seeing that ship after playing Star Fox 64 for the umpteenth time.

"It looks like Fox is here!" I announced excitedly.

When I looked at it, my jaw dropped as I marveled at its' scale. It was probably three times the size of my house! I was white in color and had a bright-green logo on the side of it that said STARFOX. I was absolutely amazed that it was landing right in front of my driveway!

"Come on, we'd better go see them." Krystal said as she tried to rise.

"Hold on let me help you." I said as I took her arm and escorted her out to the driveway.

Along the way, she stopped to stare at the various furnishings of my house. For her, it was like your first walk through Disney World, you never forget it. Despite the numerous objects that could be heard falling off shelves, the walls remained intact.

The only problem was that the house was still shaking from the force of the Great Fox's landing. Thankfully I had put Nico in his cage and no one else was home.

"Okay, it's just through here." I said as I pressed the button to open the garage.

As the door slowly lifted, Fox and Falco were both standing there waiting for us. I recognized both of them immediately. Fox had brownish-white fur and was dressed in gray and black clothing with combat shoes. It was the same for Falco, who was slightly taller than Fox and was covered with dark blue feathers. His yellow beak opened slightly when I stepped out of the house. They both eyed me in a surprised manner, and walked towards us when the garage door fully-opened.

"Krystal, there you are!" Fox ran over and hugged her as we walked over to them.

"Are you alright? What happened to your arm?"

Krystal chuckled and eased him away.

"Heheh, don't worry Fox I'm fine. It was thanks to this man right here."

She motioned them to where I was standing.

"_Fox and Falco too? This is awesome! I shouldn't freak out in front of them though." _ I thought as Fox came over and outstretched his hand.

"I'm Fox McCloud, the leader of StarFox. Who might you be?"

"My name is Justin; it's good to meet you and Falco."

I said as we shook hands. Fox suddenly stopped.

"Wait, how do you know his name? Fox asked surprised.

"I know about Star Fox, I've seen archives about it on the Internet."

I explained.

"In fact, I'm not the only human who knows of you, many others are aware as well."

Fox raised his eyebrows in disbelief.

"Really? Wow, that's pretty interesting. But what's this thing called the Internet?"

"It's a multi-faceted database in which you can find just about anything. Everyone has access to it as well." I explained.

"Hey Fox we don't have time for this. Let's just take Krystal and get out of here!" Falco yelled from the Hangar of the ship.

Fox seemed a bit irritated when Falco interrupted him.

"Well, thank you for your help but we need to get back to the Lylat System." Fox said in farewell.

At that moment my heart sank when I realized that I wouldn't see them or Krystal again. For some reason I felt that I would miss her, even though I knew her for just over five minutes. But why? Am I...in love with her? The answer seemed to walk away from me just like Fox was doing.

"_I only just met her..."_

A tear almost fell from my eye as I turned away from them. Dammit I'm such a friggin loser, if I can't get a girlfriend in real-life what chance would I have with her? Ughh, I'm done...

"Alright, take care." I said solemnly.

I was about to walk back into the house when someone put a hand on my shoulder and stopped me. When I turned to look it was the hand of Krystal. She then wrapped both her arms around me and we were soon in an embrace.

"I felt your pain Justin. I'm not going anywhere." She whispered softly into my ear.

"But why would you-?" I tried to say but was swiftly cut off,

"Care? I can sense that inside you are very unhappy; yet to others it's the contrary." Said Krystal. There was no arguing with her on that one, let alone whatever else she saw in me. Strangely enough, it was comforting to be in a warm hug; the kind you get from those you are very close to. I'm not just talking about parents either. I honestly didn't want to accept anymore pity, so I slowly pulled away from her grasp, only to see Krystal frown in response.

"Krystal, I'm sorry but just...just go back with them okay? Don't worry about me." I said, getting a bit flustered.

"But I was going to ask you something..." Krystal answered in a disappointed tone. I hoped that I didn't accidently hurt her feelings so I immediatly sprang back.

"Oh alright, sure. Ask me anything."

"Do you want to come with me?" She suggested happily.

My heart skipped a beat when I heard what she said.

"Me? You want me to come with you? Why? What could I do to contribute to your cause?"

"You've already proven to me what you are capable of." She answered.

"All I did was fix your arm, nothing too big." I said.

"Yet you showed me compassion in doing so." She retorted.

"Your heart is pure, and I sensed greatness in you. That's why I need you to join us." She said smiling at me.

I was astounded by the suggestion and could never dream of hearing it from someone like her. I thought for a second and said;

"But I can't fight or fly Arwings, what use will I be?" I said disappointingly.

"You needn't worry." Krystal answered. "Fox will teach you everything you need to know. So will you join us?"

I paused for a moment and realized that this is a once-in-a-lifetime chance that I'll never experience again. I knew well that I would be leaving my home behind, but I decided to take this chance. I felt like my prayers were finally answered and it was clear, I yearned for something extraordinary to happen, and now it has. As tremendous courage rose up in me, I answered: "Yes I will."

"Now, is there anything you need to take with you?" Krystal asked after I agreed to leave with them.

At first I wondered what I _could_ take with me. Obviously I couldn't take any of my game systems along, so I decided to only bring what I needed.

"Yeah, just give me a few minutes okay? Can you tell Fox to wait?" I asked nervously.

"Of course, don't worry." She assuringly answered.

I nodded to her and ran back into the house as fast as I could possibly go. When I reached my room I grabbed one of the small, white travel bags my family and I took when going on trips. I was still in my pajamas so I changed clothes quickly. I put in a few t-shirts, pants, and of course my toothbrush and toothpaste. Also, to chronicle this extraordinary event, I took the journal my English teacher gave me in freshman year at High School. Finally, just as a few mementos, I grabbed the small, Optimus Prime figure from atop the shelf, my High School Ring and my Nintendo DS from my dresser. I felt it was a good idea to keep something that reminded you of home. With the bag filled up, I immediately dashed back downstairs. But before leaving, I stopped by Nico's cage and patted his head.

"I'll miss you buddy, you be a good boy now alright?"

I said as he looked up at me wagging his tail.

"See you around Nico." With that I opened the door and shut it behind me.

As I walked out, Krystal was still standing there waiting for me; her long, blue and white tail swaying left and right. I pressed a button to close the garage shutters as I walked onto the driveway.

"Alright, I'm ready." I said to her eagerly.

"Then follow me."

After that, I walked with Krystal towards the hangar of Fox's ship. I took one last look at my house knowing I wouldn't lay eyes on it again, and I began to shift my view to the entire neighborhood.

"_What a great place to grow up. And thank God I live in the suburbs, because the Police, News, Military and FBI would be all over this place after seeing the ship land!" _I thought as I looked around. _"Thank you lord for blessing me with this opportunity."_

I then turned and stepped onto the metal floor of the hangar.

"You wouldn't want to be in here when the ship takes off." Krystal told me from the other end of the room.

She motioned for me to follow her through a sliding metal door as the large hatch behind me began too close. It sounded like a steam engine starting up as I walked behind Krystal through the door and up some stairs. When the entrance at the top of the stairs slid open we emerged onto a wide corridor with five doors aligning it.

"You might want to strap yourself in." Krystal said pointing to a line of seats along the wall.

I immediately sat down in the closest one and felt the whole ship rattle.

"Oh my God!" I exclaimed as I felt the ship lift off the ground.

It was much like that tower-drop ride I went on at an amusement park. I felt my stomach lift up after the feeling overtook me.

"We're about to break through the atmosphere. Hold on!"

Fox's voice suddenly resonated from an intercom and I tightened my muscles even more, while Krystal was casually sitting back next to me. I felt so spineless when I noticed the difference but then Krystal assured me,

"It's okay, you'll get used to it."

Soon after, the ship started to fly smoother than before,

"_We must be clear of the atmosphere." _I thought as I loosened my grip.

"Alright, settle in team! We'll be making the jump to hyperspace in about twenty minutes." Fox said over the intercom.

I bent over and started to breathe heavily, I don't know why but I guess the take-off just took the wind out of me. I began to feel a bit dizzy but suddenly; Krystal patted my back and asked, "Justin are you alright?"

I looked and grinned, "Never been…better."

As I looked around I the room I began to wonder where I was going to stay aboard the ship. I felt kind of silly asking but I decided to get it out the way. Right before I opened my mouth Krystal spoke, "I'm not exactly sure where you would stay Justin."

Krystal scratched the back of her head and thought for a moment. I began to realize that my thoughts wouldn't be concealed when she's around.

"I'm not sure if we have any spare bedrooms so you'll have to bunk with someone." She said. I felt a bit unprepared when I heard it however. Obviously I couldn't share a room with her; that would be too sudden! I honestly didn't know where to go at that moment.

"With who?" I asked, "I doubt anyone here would want an unexpected guest sleeping in the same room." I said in dismay.

"Why don't you share a room with Fox?" She suggested. "I'm sure he wouldn't mind."

"I guess that's okay. But only if he approves." I answered.

"Okay I'll talk to him later. Right now you should probably introduce yourself to the rest of the crew. I'm sure they'll welcome you."

I nodded. "Thank you…for everything."

She then turned around and smiled. "It's good to have you here Justin."

With that, she walked up towards the bridge and a door closed behind her.

There I was, standing inside the mothership of Fox and his team while traveling through space! Even now I still wondered if it was dream or not. So to prove it to myself, I decided to try something I did in most of my dreams. I held my hand out and expected a Covenant Energy Sword to land in my grip. When it didn't, I knew I wasn't dreaming. I grinned ear-to-ear when I saw some windows on one side of the corridor. When I looked out, the deep void of space immediately overtook my senses. The thousands of stars, planets and everything! I was in pure, intergalactic heaven. But then I had forgotten that I still needed to introduce myself to everyone else on the team. I was pretty terrible at making first impressions, let alone to people that I didn't even know existed. What I did notice was that the doors had names imprinted on them. In the order that they appeared, they read: FOX MCLOUD, FALCO LOMBARDI, SLIPPY TOAD, PEPPY HARE, and KRYSTAL. I kind of relaxed knowing that I could at least choose whom to start with, it didn't really lessen the tension I was feeling though.

"Okay I'll save Falco for last, and then I'll- wait, no. Maybe I should start with, uuuuugh! Damn!"

I began to pace endlessly around the room wondering what to do next. I just couldn't bring myself to knock on one of the doors.

"_Come on Justin, snap out of it! You can do this, just calm down."_

With that I approached Falco's door.

"I can't believe I'm starting with him, but I want to see why he reacted so impatiently. Well, here goes nothing." I said as I raised my hand and knocked twice.

"Hello? Falco?" I asked, waiting for a response.

"What? Who is it?"

I heard his voice from behind the door and it suddenly slid open in front of me. Falco was wearing a white vest with red pants and he seemed shocked to see me.

"Who the heck a' you? I've never seen you around here before." He asked bluntly.

I expected that kind of response from Falco so I answered.

"That's because you didn't bother to stick around to watch come onboard."

Falco's blue eyes narrowed.

"Look, I'm not here to cause trouble, my name's Justin."

I held out my hand sort of reluctantly. But Falco outstretched his hand as well. Actually he didn't really have a "hand"; his arms were topped off by wing-like appendages with four, feathered digits in total. It actually felt soft when I shook it though.

"Falco Lombardi. So what's your story?" He asked.

"Well, after Krystal crashed near my house and I patched her up, you guys arrived to take her away." I answered.

"I thought you would be gone after that but Krystal said I should join you."

"What? She wanted you to join us?" Falco asked, staggered a little.

"I don't know why, she just told me to come and I agreed. I was planning on introducing myself to the rest of the crew."

Falco leaned back and crossed his arms.

"I can see you're not one for small talk so I'll leave you alone." I said as a quick escape from the clearly awkward situation.

"Hey Justin," said Falco before I walked away.

"Yeah?"

"Just watch yourself around here, and don't touch anything." He instructed in a cold voice.

"I'll keep that in mind." I replied with a tinge of fear. Would the place explode or something if I touched anything? No probably not but pressing further wasn't the best option.

He nodded and returned to his room. I didn't know if Krystal expected me to follow her up there or what, but I decided to find out. I walked up to the door that Krystal passed through and discovered it was an elevator. I pressed a green button on the side that corresponded to the word BRIDGE. I then stepped into the elevator; "Elevator going up, destination: Flight Deck." A robotic voice suddenly emanated from a nearby speaker. It startled me somewhat but then I assumed it was just an automated thing. "BEEEE-BUU" The elevator doors closed in front of me and it began to ascend.

"Hm, maybe the bridge has a good view." I said to myself as I looked around.

I then began to hear a soft and catchy melody from the same speaker.

"Jeez, even this ship has elevator music? Ha." I said with a chuckle.

"BEEEE-BUU"

"Oh this must be it."

When the doors opened, I emerged onto a short, black corridor with a door at the other end. Whe I walked up to it, I could faintly hear the voices of Fox and Krystal.

"What were you thinking bringing him aboard this ship? He's not even one of us!"

"I know, but I felt a great sense of safety when I was near him. Please, you have to trust me on this one. His potential has not been fully awakened yet."

My chest began to throb as I continued to listen.

"Just give him a chance. You won't be disappointed."

"I hope you're right." Fox said.

I decided not to wait any longer and pressed the switch to open the door. When I walked in, Krystal and Fox both turned to me looking a bit unprepared.

"Justin, we were just talking about you." Krystal said as I approached.

"Yeah I heard. I was just checking out the rest of the ship, sorry if I interrupted." I said.

I tried to act like I didn't hear what Fox said but it wasn't working.

"Don't try to hide your feelings Justin." Krystal said, reading my mind again.

" Look, I know I must seem like a stowaway but I really don't mean to cause trouble." I responded.

"You're not causing any trouble; before you came up I asked Fox if he could train you." Krystal said.

"How could he train me here?" I asked.

Fox suddenly broke in;

"We do have a training room and simulations that should get you up to speed in no time. But I have to know, are you willing to commit yourself to becoming one of us?"

I grinned, "I've never been more willing to do anything in my entire life. I promise I won't let you down." I said proudly.

"I know you won't Justin, that's why I brought you here." Krystal suddenly said.

I looked at her and nodded.

"But where will I stay?" I asked.

"Sadly, I don't have an extra bed in my room, but we do have one other area where you could sleep. Don't worry, it's fully furnished."

"Oh thank God, I thought for a second you were going to have me sleep in the cleaning closet or something."

They both laughed when I said it and I indefinitely relaxed.

"Come on, I'll show you where it is."

He then motioned me to follow him and Krystal. We made our way back to the elevator and Fox pushed the button to take us down to the main corridor. I stood near one of the corners of the lift and I couldn't help but stare at Krystal the whole way down.

"_She's so beautiful." _I thought endearingly.

She then smiled back at me and batted her eyes, as if saying: "Thank you." At this point I still didn't know if she felt the same way about me so I decided not to push it. The elevator soon stopped and we walked into the main corridor. The two Foxes then lead me through a sliding door at the other end. When I walked through, I was inside what looked like a lounge of some sort. There was a large circular couch-like object with a round table in the center. What really amazed me however was that the entire wall at the other end was a window! The view from where I was standing looked spectacular. A long, black bar with some cool-looking appliances behind it lay on the right side of the room. I almost got distracted and continued to follow Fox. "Okay, it's right here."

He pointed to a blank door on the Lounge's left side-wall.

"By the way, you should input your name into the security lock. That way we'll be able to know this is your room." Fox suggested.

"How do I activate it?" I asked.

"Just hold your hand in front of this scanner right here."

I held my hand out in front of a sphere-like object on the door and a holographic keyboard materialized. It wasn't a QWERTY keyboard but all the letters were still the same. Using one hand, I typed my name in: Justin Cheves.

"There we go."

"You have a last name?" Krystal asked.

"Of course, all humans do." I answered. "Mine in particular is kind of hard to pronounce. But I'm sure you'll get it eventually." I said, beaming.

"I should probably get back to the bridge and see how ROB 64 is doing. See you guys later." Fox said as he made his way out of the room. Only Krystal remained behind.

"Alright let's see what it looks like," I said as I pressed a button to open the door.

The inside was simple: a bed, dresser, and a small alcove, which probably was the bathroom. The walls had a distinct gray and metal sheen. I wasn't too big on fancy, decorative rooms, so it suited me just fine.

"Cool I'm likin' it so far," I said as I tossed myself onto the bed and bounced a little.

"Ahhh, it's actually pretty comfortable. Are the rest of the bedrooms like this?" I asked.

"Well, they are slightly more elaborate with the decorations, but yours isn't much different from our rooms." Krystal explained.

I stretched my arms out over my head and yawned.

"Uuaaahh, man, I never thought I'd actually be able to see this place first-hand. I have you to thank for that." I said to Krystal.

She suddenly walked over to the bed and sat down near me. "I sensed what you thought in the elevator."

"What, you mean when I thought you were…um, you were-"

"Beautiful?"

She finished for me and smiled.

"Yeah that." I said getting more nervous by the minute.

"You intrigue me Justin. I think we'll get along just fine." She said putting a hand on my cheek.

For a few minutes we just stared into each other's eyes; she was finding out everything that I felt about her in that moment. To me having a girlfriend was a completely foreign notion, now, I think I understand it. Her gaze was so welcoming that I didn't even turn away like I usually do. Her hand slowly caressed the side of my face and through my black hair, which sent absolute chills down my spine. Yet somehow, I wasn't afraid of what she would see because I felt like she… wanted this. Then something struck me, as if a mugger suddenly pointed a gun to my head.

"My home, my family, I'll never…see them again."

"You have a family?" Krystal asked.

"Yeah, my Mother, Father, and my brother Jared, they were the best family anyone could ask for. My Mother was very caring, if I needed help with anything, she was always there. My Father, he was very headstrong, he wouldn't let anything bad happen to Jared and me. And Jared, even though we fought constantly, I knew deep-down that he would always stand up for me."

"You miss them don't you?"

"Well I just…"

Soon immense sorrow took control and I began to feel unimaginable guilt for leaving them. I shut my eyes tightly to try not to cry, but nothing could stop it. As a tear slowly ran down my face Krystal reached over and gently wiped it away. Her hand felt like a silk cloth as it passed over my skin.

"I'm sorry, I just…(sniff) I'm sorry."

Krystal then embraced me tightly. "It's alright, you don't need to explain yourself. I understand." She whispered.

"Did you ever have a family?" I asked trying to regain focus.

"I don't remember much of my parents. But I do remember Randorn; he was this old mystic that cared for me when I was young. He was like a father to me."

Suddenly her disposition became gloomy. "Then all that was taken away when my home world, Cerinia, was destroyed. I still don't know what…"

She stopped and looked down with her eyes closed.

"Krystal I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to make you feel that way."

She raised her back up and simply smiled.

"There are people here that care about you. For me, I'm not sure what they think." I said looking down.

"The others do not see what I see in you." Krystal said tilting my chin up.

"What do you see?" I asked.

I flinched when she put her hand on mine and as if by pure luck, we both turned our heads and blushed. I could tell that she felt the same when she and I exchanged glances.

"What's that you're wearing around your neck? It's beautiful!" She asked.

"Oh this?" I said unhooking the necklace.

Krystal gazed upon the arrowhead as if it was a priceless jewel.

"It's called an arrowhead. Back on Earth, ancient tribes used to use these as weapons. My Grandparents gave this to me when they visited once."

"Can I see it?"

"Of course", I said.

She examined it closely for a minute but her eyes soon turned to me. "I think this will look much better on you."

Krystal said as she reached around my neck and fastened the hook. As I held the arrowhead I made the decision to never take it off, ever.

"I felt your love for your family Justin, I know you are very kind at heart," She said. "And I'll always be here if you need someone to talk to."

"Thanks Krystal, that means a lot," I said looking back at her. "I've never had a lot of people I can trust, I was always the "weird kid" growing up."

"I know what you mean," answered Krystal. "My powers have always been strange to others. I felt so lonely when I was younger, and even now the feeling doesn't go away; despite the friends I have. I sense the same feeling in you."

"You're right," I answered. "Remember when I said that my brother and I constantly fought? Well he always had this I idea that he should be the one that sticks up for me. I wanted to prove to him that I wasn't weak. But now, I know that I can trust you Krystal, more than anyone else."

Krystal smiled and took my hand in her's. When I saw how similar our hands looked, I began to realize that to her, I wasn't a monster or an alien, I was a person. Then I started to wonder how I would tell my parents where I disappeared to, by now they must be worried sick. Krystal suddenly reached behind her head and loosened the green, diamond pendant that was on her forehead.

"Here take this. Close your eyes and focus on it in your mind," She instructed.

As I did I heard her voice once more,

"Think about what you would tell them, and send those thoughts to my pendant."

"_Mom, Dad, everybody. I love you all so much and I want you to know that I'm okay. Really, don't worry about me, I'm fine. I guess you could say that I'm living the dream. Love you guys."_

Soon the image of her pendant began to glow brightly.

"Alright, I did it," I said opening my eyes.

"I'll beam this back to your home as soon as I can." Krystal said as I handed the pendant back to her.

"Thank you Krystal, I can't tell you how much that means to me."

She glanced back, "Anytime, Justin. I've really enjoyed this moment we've had together, and we should do it again very soon."

After kissing me one last time she got up and left the room. I never thought anything like this would happen to me at any point in my life. I was living a mundane, human existence until now. Not to mention that I got kissed by a girl!

"This is gonna be fun." I said to myself as I closed my eyes and fell asleep.

"Okay, making the jump to Hyperspace in three… two…"

"What the?"

"ONE!"

"CRAAAAAP!"

I had so much trouble sleeping that night, with everything that has happened, including my unexpected first-hand hyper jump experience. I still managed to get a few hours of shut-eye. Yet with everyone else asleep, I decided to take a look around the ship. I pulled away the blue sheets of my bed and waved my hand in front of a sensor to switch on the low-powered lights. The room became dim with a white glow and I slouched my way over to the small, bathroom alcove.

"What did Krystal sense in me? I just don't understand." I said as I stared at myself in the mirror.

I was always told during my childhood that I would find someone who loves me for who I am. I constantly heard: "Ohh, you look so tall and handsome!", every time I was with my relatives. I always disregarded those claims because I knew that it wasn't true. Girls could care less about your intelligence or your imagination. If you have a pretty face or muscles, they chase after you. That's something that I lack. I guess now I have found someone who understands me, but does she love me? Or is she just toying with me because she feels bad? I had no idea and it kept me wondering for a few minutes. Before I lost myself in thought I left my room and emerged onto the lounge area. Even though the lights were off it was faintly illuminated by the glow of the stars outside the large window. I carefully sat down on the large circular couch and sank a little. Even though I wanted to move, my eyes told my body to stay put and be transfixed by their light. It was truly mesmerizing. Since I had this tendency to wake up before everyone else, I was relieved that I could do this to pass the time. I sat back and put my feet up on the foot-rest for comfort, even though the room was quiet I could faintly make out a soft whirring coming from somewhere, I didn't know what it was but it was relaxing all the same. I took a swig from the water bottle that I brought with me and continued to stare; I had forgotten to ask where they keep their food so I was lucky to have this. Suddenly, I heard a door slide open behind me. I glanced to look so fast that my neck cracked in the process. I couldn't really tell who it was that entered the room. When the silhouette walked closer into the faint glow of the stars, I saw that it was Krystal. She was wearing only a white bra and panties and I promptly turned away so I wouldn't stare, even though I desperately wanted to.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I heard noises from in here and came to take a look. Are you alright Justin?" She asked.

"Yeah I'm fine, I just couldn't sleep that's all." I answered.

I really didn't expect to see her in what she was wearing, though I'm sure she understood.

"Something's on your mind Justin, I can feel it." She said as she walked over to where I was sitting.

I nervously took another sip of water as I watched her sit down next to me and cross her legs. Against the light of space, she looked like a goddess.

"It's okay, you can tell me." She said gently.

"I still can't believe I'm here right now, a place that I never thought I could go. I can't begin to describe how grateful I am that this is happening." I answered.

Krystal smiled and said, "I knew that what I sensed in you was true, and you are truly a remarkable person."

"So are you Krystal."

She seemed to blush a little when I finally said it. Krystal suddenly got closer and put her arm around my neck and we just sat together from then on. As we both admired the view of space she broke the silence.

"I couldn't stop thinking about you Justin, or what we talked about yesterday."

"Me neither." I answered.

"You were very open with me. You weren't afraid."

I turned my head to the stars, "You're someone that I trust Krystal, and for me, that doesn't happen often."

Krystal and I both knew what was about to be said.

"You are the most beautiful girl I have ever met, and I'm just-"

She softly brought a finger to my lip.

"Shhh, I know that you want someone to keep you warm." Krystal began, "I know that you'll find her soon enough Justin." Maybe she was right, even in this new galaxy there might be a girl for me. Though I still had a unique feeling about Krystal. I just need to be patient, I'm not ready yet.

As I closed my eyes I whispered, "Thank you."

There was a brief pause but then I heard,

"My pleasure."

My heart stopped; did I really just hear that? My mom's words soon echoed in my head: _"One day you'll find someone that loves you. Just be patient."_


	2. Trial By Fire

Part II: Trial By Fire

My joints slowly started to gain consciousness as I opened my eyes. What happened earlier was something that I'll remember for the rest of my life. I suddenly felt warm air on the nape of my neck and it kind of startled me at first. But much to my surprise and relief, I beheld Krystal's face still sleeping close to mine. I smiled and tried to rise without disturbing her, while I was still tired, I slept much better that night. I slowly walked over to the large window until I was close enough to touch it, and once again, I got lost in stargazing.

Then I started to recall this song I listened to once; there was a set of lyrics that always stood out to me:

"I wonder what it feels like to find the one in this life.

The one we all dream of, but dreams just aren't enough. So I'll be waiting for the real thing."

It reminded me of when I made the promise to never pursue love until "the one" makes herself known. I guess now that all the hidden messages and signs to be patient were pointing to a moment like last night. "Thank you." I didn't know who or what I was speaking too but it just had to be said. I decided to return to my room and change up and check the clock next to my bed. The digital numbers read: 7:42. I assumed that since there wasn't any AM or PM next to the readout that this ship ran on the 24-hour clock. After shutting the door behind me, I rummaged through the white bag and pulled out a pair of tan cargo shorts and a black shirt with a scene of three wolves howling at the moon on it. As I took off my shirt something stopped me; the arrowhead necklace I was still wearing began to develop a strong, white glow. The necklace never did this when I wore it the previous night but then again, I was probably just seeing things anyway.

I dressed and cleaned up at about the same pace as if I was getting ready for school, which was pretty quick. In about five minutes or so, I was done. When I stepped back out into the lounge, I saw that Krystal was still fast asleep. I surmised that the others would be asleep as well, so I decided to play a bit of my favorite DS game, you can probably guess what it is. As I walked over to an armchair by the window, I flicked the DS's power switch. As the ocean's Great Guardian swam beneath the waves at awesome speeds, the title faded in: "Pokémon Soul Silver".

After loading my save file I saw that I was in the second room of the Elite Four: The Poison User: Koga. After enduring his hollow and arrogant claims of being "The Master of Shadows", the battle began. The fights leading up to the Championship bout were at times, pretty tough. But my team was resilient and I didn't give up. Finally, I walked into the large golden hall with the Champion waiting for me. My Feraligatr nodded slowly as I approached Lance.

"I expected that I would eventually meet you here Justin." He said.

"You have definitely taken my advice to heart since we worked together to topple the Team Rocket Hideout. But now, I must fulfill my obligations as a trainer and battle. Therefore, I, Lance: Pokémon Champion and Dragon Tamer, accept your challenge!"

With that, Lance sent out his Gyarados first and I ordered Shen (Feraligatr's nickname) into battle. As the fight continued, I began to think that I'd never beat his Dragonites, but I was far from done. And my Lapras pummeled him with Ice beam. Suddenly, He had one Pokémon left: Charizard, "This is my chance!" I thought. With my heart racing, I called out the final move:

"Shen, use Hydro Cannon!"

With a mighty blast of water, Lance's Charizard fell. "…It's over." Lance said.

As I read those words, I couldn't help but stand up and thrust my fist into the air.

"I did it!"

I acted like I was screaming the words but I just whispered them. I felt so proud when I saw the shot of my entire team behind me: Feraligatr, Scyther, Lapras, Dragonair, Raikou, and Lugia. I was the Champion! I soaked in every second when my Pokémon entered the Hall of Fame, and Lance named me a worthy successor. My expression of glee didn't change for a moment as the credits rolled, and soon, I was back at my room in New Bark Town.

"I can't believe it. I actually beat him!" I said to myself.

"Beat who?"

My DS nearly flew out of my sweaty hands when I darted my gaze towards Krystal. She laughed a little at how I reacted but I couldn't blame her either, I would've laughed at it too.

"Please don't do that again." I said putting a hand to my throbbing chest.

"I'm sorry, I thought you knew I was awake." She said still chuckling.

I had gotten enough of that when I was with my brother and now, it comes back to haunt me. Ah well, she didn't know. I returned to the DS and quickly tapped the SAVE button on the touch screen. As I navigated through the menus I saw that Krystal was curiously looking over my shoulder fixated at what to her was a strange object. As if reading _her_ mind for once I spoke up,

"This is just my DS game system. 'DS' stands for Double Screen."

She seemed to be highly interested so I continued. And by a stroke of luck, I turned into a video game representative for that brief moment. I had always thought that describing something like this would be difficult, yet there I was going on and on about the device as if I had been doing it for years.

Soon my eyes met Krystal's eyes and scanned down her perfect figure. Before they lingered too long on her chest area, I turned my head away and tried to come up with a response.

"So, did you sleep well?" Was the best I could muster.

"Yes, thank you for asking." She replied.

I must've looked like a complete moron with how I tried to hide my actions. I can't help it, whenever I'm around her I just stare at her as if she's a goddess.

"You seem to enjoy looking at me don't you?" She said crossing her arms.

I didn't know what to say.

"May I look at you?"

I was pretty puzzled by her request, she was already looking at me wasn't she? Unless she meant… Oh man. It's like ever since I came aboard I've been breaking down mental barriers left and right but now, I don't think I can follow through with what she asked. Then again, I have been looking at her like this since joining them and she's seen nothing of me. I let out a sigh and began to pull at my shirt. I really hope my self-consciousness doesn't get the better of me. It was only fair that she sees who I really am. After removing the garment, the only thing that remained on my upper body was the silver arrowhead. I wasn't expecting her to be impressed with my skinny physique.

"Is this what you wanted to see?" I asked. Our eyes met again and she simply nodded.

Before I could respond, she suddenly put her hand to my chest and started to slowly feel around. It felt like a smooth cloth as her hand glided down my stomach and my sides. The whole time she felt me, she was smiling. How could I let her do this? Am I that complacent in the fact that it's innocent enough? On the other hand, no girl ever touched me like this and it felt great, aside from her sharp nails slightly digging into my skin. Krystal then reached for the arrowhead and eyed it curiously.

"Why is your necklace glowing?"

"I don't know, it's been doing this since last night." I answered.

She continued to study it for a minute or two.

"Is there something wrong?" I asked.

"Oh nevermind, it's nothing. You should probably get ready to meet the rest of the crew at breakfast."

My ears perked, "Oh yeah, I forgot that Peppy and Slippy still haven't met me."

I pulled away from Krystal's hand and put my shirt back on. Pretty strange of her to be interested in a family trinket, it was probably just a reflection from the stars or something, that's all.

"Where do you guys usually meet for a morning briefing?" I asked.

"Right in here actually. We keep our food in those storage units over there."

Krystal said pointing to a pair of refrigerator-like cabinets.

"Do you have water?"

"Of course, but you have to try my baked Cerinian Spearfish! I think you're gonna love it!" Krystal said as she seemingly skipped to the exit.

"I'll be right back, I just need to change up!"

After the door slid shut, the lights suddenly came to life. It nearly left me half-blind with their luminosity, but I adjusted within minutes.

_"I'm sure it's good but what the hell is a spearfish?" _I thought.

If this room is where they all met then I should be seeing them any moment now. As the reality of the situation set in, I began to get extremely nervous. Once again, I was in a spot where I would either leave a good impression or totally embarrass myself in front of them. My stomach started to churn while I was waiting for the door to open. Worse yet, if I try the spearfish and say I hate it, then that will hurt Krystal's feelings since she made it herself. The combination of all these thoughts was absolute hell on my body. Still I clung to one ray of hope: After they all meet me on good terms, then I'll treat them as friends and vice-versa.

_"With all that's happened, this'll be easy. Just be yourself." _ I took a deep breath and looked at the door,

"Bring it."

Then as if on cue, the door opened. On the threshold stood Krystal clad in a skin-tight purple and dark blue jumpsuit. She put her hands to her hips and asked,

"Well, how do I look?"

I smirked, "Do I really need to say anything? You look good."

"Thank you. Now are you ready to meet the others?" She asked walking over to me.

"No not really. I'm horrible at making first impressions."

Krystal put her arm on my shoulder and looked me in the eye.

"And what of me?" She asked with a smile.

"You're different. I…I just, I don't know what they'll think." I answered.

Krystal let out a childish giggle, "Don't worry, I'll speak up if you don't know what to say."

I smiled, "Thanks, I'd appreciate that."

Then sounds of footsteps could be heard from the other side of the door. Along with the sound of my heart-rate spiking.

"Oh, I should get the food out!" Krystal said dashing over to the refrigerator.

Fox was the first one to walk in after the door opened.

"Good morning Fox, you sleep well?" I asked.

He merely brushed passed me with a discouraged look on his face. He didn't say anything nor did he acknowledge me at all.

"What's up with him?" I wondered.

"Would ya stop complainin' about the G-Diffuser, I told you I'd get it fixed as soon as I got the parts!"

"Alright! I'm just sayin' that it deactivates everytime I-Oh, hey Justin." Falco said as he approached.

"Who's this tall guy?" Slippy asked looking up at me.

His round, green head was offset by two bulbous eyes with a red and white cap between them. As I talked with him, his frog throat inflated and deflated rhythmically. I nearly laughed at the way he described me in his high-pitched voice, yet I acted casual.

"My name's Justin, nice to meet you." I said outstretching my hand.

I shivered a little when I felt how cold and slimy his hand was when I shook it.

"Hiya Justin! The name's Slippy. I'm the team's weapons specialist." He said proudly.

"Yeah, I've heard a lot about your work. You designed the weapons that Fox and Falco use right?"

"That's right! And they've never had to be replaced or repurposed."

He shifted his gaze to Krystal who was still pulling things out of the Fridge and setting them on a counter.

"Krystal is makin' the food again? Awesome!"

"Have a new friend there Slippy?"

We both turned to a middle-aged hare who eyed me with surprise as he trotted into the room. He donned a white labcoat with a shirt and tie underneath. He had two long ears that stretched far above his head and a very thick white mustache. The one thing that was truly recognizable was his white rabbit teeth that stuck out from his upper lip. His tone was respectable and very laid back.

"What's your name son?" He asked.

"I'm Justin, nice to meet you."

I exchanged the usual pleasantries and discovered his name was Peppy.

"So, how did you find your way onboard?"He asked suddenly.

"It's kind of a long story. How 'bout we talk it over the food?" I suggested.

Peppy smiled, "Sure, sounds good to me!"

After sitting down with the food on the table, I actually began to relax. Everyone seemed to be interested in what I had to say, yet I always answered: "There's not much to tell." I told them about me, how I got here, that sort of thing. And the rest of the time was spent exchanging stories and such. It was great and so was the food. Krystal did look pleased when she saw me eating the Spearfish she made, come to think of it, the fish didn't really taste much different from the ones on Earth. The cool part was when Krystal showed me that you can drink the gel that existed in the "blades" of the fishes' noses. Honestly, it looked gross, yet it tasted so good! Fox was very quiet during this time and only producing mono-syllabic words like "yeah and cool" whenever he spoke.

"Wow Krystal, you were right! This was good!" I said after cleaning my plate.

"I learned from my time with Randorn that this was my parents' specialty. I'm glad you like it." Krystal said happily.

"Need some help with cleaning up?"

"Yes I'd appreciate that."

While the others talked amongst themselves Krystal and I washed the plates in the sink. It really surprised me how strong the water flow was coming out of the tap, almost as strong as an Earth-based garden hose with a high-powered nozzle. We were just about to finish up when I felt someone tap me on the shoulder. I turned around to see Fox standing with his arms crossed and looking none too pleased.

"Justin, can we talk out in the hallway for a minute?" He asked. I thought nothing of it, so I agreed.

"Sure no problem."

As I followed him out of the room and into the corridor I began to sense that this wasn't just going to be idle chit-chat. When I saw him earlier he was definitely ticked off about something. But what?

"You've been making yourself at home so far huh?" He suddenly said.

"What?"

"Been getting very comfortable, maybe too comfortable."

I started to get a bit nervous. "Is there something wrong here?" I asked.

Before I had time to react, he dashed in my direction like a lightning bolt and pinned me against the wall. The impact was firm and nearly knocked the wind out of me. I wasn't sure if the others heard the bang, I hope they didn't.

"Yes, there is." He snarled.

Fox had his forearm pressed against my neck and I began to choke trying to speak. What I saw in his eyes terrified me: Absolute fury, unfettered and raw. No matter how much I struggled, his grip didn't move an inch.

"What the… hell…is… your problem?" I asked gasping for air.

Fox bore his sharp teeth and tightened his grip.

"You."

His tone started to grow very menacing. I couldn't find the strength to speak at all, and throughout the conflict, I had to stare into Emerald eyes that were filled with hatred.

"Don't you ever go near her again! Understand?" He roared.

"Who?" I stammered.

He pushed my neck harder against the wall,

"Don't play dumb with me! I know what you've been doing with Krystal."

"Fox, she...came to...cugh! me! I didn't do anything!"

He only shoved his forearm against my neck even harder. I could feel my body growing limp as I tried to focus.

"Fox cugh, cugh, please! I can't… breathe!"

"Good, I hope you friggin' suffer!" He yelled.

What did I do to channel his anger? Krystal? Was it our time together? I began to realize that he had feelings for her as well, he probably thought I forcibly did it. But she came to me! I didn't mistreat her in any way. But at that moment, none of it mattered. Fox wanted me dead and I was powerless against him. Just before everything grew dark, she saved me like I saved her…

"Fox! What are you doing? Let him go!"

"You stay out of it! I'm ending this now!"

I then saw Fox reach for his blaster.

"NOOO!" Krystal screamed.

After that, the only sound I could hear was my rapidly beating heart. Yet in that moment of fear I was relieved, because when I heard Krystal yell in protest, I realized who I had been looking for all this time...

Before I permanently lost consciousness, I saw Krystal run toward and tackle Fox, releasing me from his vice grip. I felt myself fall and I immediately threw my hands out to cushion the landing. I sucked in air as if it was mana from the Gods and with every breathe, my awareness slowly returned. I was still very dizzy and could barely stand. I then felt my body jerk upward as if being pulled.

"Justin, you okay buddy?

I heard Falco's voice as I tried to regain control. I turned around saw Krystal grasping the side of Fox's coat. I thought I heard her yelling but it was very indistinct.

"Come on, I'll take you back to your room." Falco said putting my arm around his shoulder.

"No, I can make it… I'm fine." I closed my eyes and went limp.


	3. Awakening

A Krystal Encounter Ch. 3: Awakening

"What is wrong with you Fox? You could've killed him!"

"He doesn't belong here. Not after what he's done."

"You're angry because of what you saw him and I doing?"

…

"Your silence only proves me right in the end."

"Look, I just want him gone! I never want to see his ugly face again!"

"He's not leaving. Not while I'm still here."

My body felt extremely heavy and sluggish, my strength was drained, and I just made a new enemy after only a day on the ship. Lucky me.

"Status: Minor bruising and lung strain. Should be at optimal capacity in 20 minutes."

The voice was very robotic. After opening my eyes I saw the Android named ROB 64 standing over me holding some kind of scanner. He continued to monitor me while I listened to the conversation outside my room.

"If you have a problem with Justin, then don't resort to violence. Go in there and apologize."

"Alright fine."

I wasn't afraid of Fox but I wasn't exactly looking forward to his attempted apology either. How could he suddenly say that he's sorry after something like that? It makes no sense! After seeing the hate in his eyes I didn't think his attitude would change at all. I was prepared for another argument, hell I've dealt with ridiculous drama all my life, so I sat up against the backboard and looked towards the door. It slid open, and Fox was surprisingly the first one through with Krystal following close behind.

"Hey Justin, how are you feeling?" He asked in a "pathetic excuse for sympathy" kind of tone.

I felt like nothing I could say would change his view of me, so I stayed silent and looked away.

"Justin, I'm sorry okay? I acted like an idiot, I wasn't thinking." He pleaded again.

I still didn't answer, instead I got an idea.

"ROB, can you interface with this object?" I asked holding out my MP3 player.

"Affirmative." He replied.

"Can you select the song "If You Only Knew" by Shinedown?"

"Affirmative, beginning audio playback sub-routine."

He said as the device's adapter plugged into his arm.

"What is Shinedown?" Krystal asked.

"Just listen," I replied.

When the music started to play, I sat back and shut my eyes, because the message was as clear as day. I'm not sure if Fox understood, yet I imagined that he stood there with his mouth open the whole time. I know for a fact that Krystal read my mind while my eyes were closed, so she probably realized that I directed it towards her. The lyrics perfectly described how I felt, yet very few people understand who I am. Sometimes even my parents cannot figure me out. But Krystal, she seems to know me better than anyone. I've been concealed in an impenetrable shell for most of my life, not letting anybody inside but me. Guys at school rarely talked with me, Girls completely ignored me, and I spent most of my time alone. That isn't something I'm ashamed of, it's who I am and what I always will be. But everything changed that afternoon when I found Krystal's golden staff. My heart was pounding with the thought of everything I felt being exposed to both of them, yet in my mind it was the best course of action because if Fox held a grudge during my training, what reason would I have to stay here?

I slowly opened up my eyes and turned my head back to them.

"Now do you understand?" I asked.

Fox only stuttered and Krystal was still speechless, yet beaming happily at me.

"Before I came here I wanted an escape." I said looking out of the small window near my bed.

"I wanted something extraordinary to happen. And Krystal made it a reality. I owe everything to her, because she made so many things that I never thought possible finally seem within reach."

"Justin…" Krystal said sympathetically.

I finally met eyes with Fox,

"You gave me an opportunity that I could only dream of: Being a pilot. Even before we met face-to-face I thought of you as a hero, that's why I didn't fight back when you attacked me. I don't consider you my enemy, I think of you as a friend."

He seemed to be close to tears after what I said, but he simply smiled and nodded. It felt really good to let loose all the bottled-up thoughts I had inside, especially to the one that I trusted the most.

"And don't think I'm oblivious to why this whole conflict started. Which wasn't much, all we did was talk, nothing more."

"Sorry, I thought you were...you know..."

Fox turned to Krystal expecting an exchanged glance but she kept her eyes on me.

"It's up to you Krystal. I have no right to decide." I said.

She then lowered her head and closed her eyes. The room became eerily silent while Fox and I exchanged looks of anticipation. I promised myself not to hold any grudges if she didn't choose me. Even if she never loved me, then I enjoyed every minute of it. My heart raced when I saw her raise her head up. She looked at Fox and then at me. I didn't want to make her feel pressured, so I turned my head back to the window.

As I looked, my eyes tracked a shooting star that flew by in the distance.

"Justin, I'm glad you're honest about this. But I just...need some time to think." She said.

"Sure no problem, take all the time you need." I assured her, with a few rubs to my sore neck. I was so relieved that everyone was able to come out of this a bit happier, and I hoped that Krystal wouldn't stress over this too much. She is a very nice person, one that I trust greatly, but if she's already in love with Fox then...ah well; Plenty of fish in the sea. In an effort to smooth things out a bit, I rose from the bed and met eyes with Fox.

"Justin I… I guess I shouldn't have judged you like that. I'm sorry and… I hope you'll forgive me." Fox said looking down.

I held my hand out to express the old adage: 'actions speak louder than words.' He glanced up at me looking surprised but grasped it nonetheless.

"Of course Fox, don't worry about it." I assured him. "

So, are you ready to start your training Justin?" He asked with a grin.

My mind was set, and I wasn't looking back. "Ready and willing."

4 Months Later…

"Alright guys, report in. Let's roll!"

"Falco, standing by!"

"Krystal, awaiting orders!"

"Justin, ready to fly!"

"Slippy here, let's go!"

After everyone was primed, I ignited my Arwing's thrusters with a sharp pull of the flight stick. All systems read green across the board as my HUD (Heads Up Display) materialized in front of me on the control panel.

"LAUNCH!"

Fox yelled as a chorus of roaring engines erupted throughout the hangar bay. I immediately thrusted the accelerator forward and lurched backward with the ship's takeoff. As all the Arwings left the Great Fox's hangar, a bright, yellow glow from the nearby Halcyon Nebula shimmered off of their hulls, creating a shining, silver prism effect as I locked my ship into formation. I had learned from my training that this was standard procedure. Fox was at (what they called the spearhead) the front of the group, Falco was at the center, and Krystal and I covered his left and right flanks while Slippy stayed at the rear.

"Okay, I'm entering the coordinates now. Just stay close and you'll be fine."

Fox's voice sounded through my headset and I quickly prepared myself for another jump to light-speed.

"No problem Fox, we're right behind ya." I shot back.

Within minutes, the space in front of me transformed into a distortion of blue and white, the other Arwings seemed to neither speed up nor slow down as we blasted into the portal. About 20 seconds later we arrived at our objective: Corneria.

Fox had briefed us earlier about the mission. It was simple: Escort and protect a cargo vessel until it reaches its' destination. With the my helmet's ocular scanner online, I Iooked towards the grey Titan of a planet as its' rim was illuminated by a bright star; truly a site to behold.

"Alright, my contact should be here soon. She's transporting a cache of weapons to some skirmish on Orinda V. Normally I'd disregard this but she's offering a hefty reward." Fox explained.

"This person seriously needs an escort? Gimme a break." Falco retorted.

"Seems important though, it's definitely better than when you had me track down that stupid COMM Drone for three hours!"

"I wanted to see if you could handle an Arwing on your own! And you did better than I expected." Fox answered sternly.

"Fair enough I guess. I'm just saying that to me it sounds like a comparatively better mission." I replied.

During that quiet moment, I reflected on what Corneria was like: a lush, garden world with sprawling metropolises and expansive landscapes. It's been about a month since I joined Star Fox and I think I've been to this planet at least once. On that occasion, Fox had asked me to accompany him there so that I could meet General Pepper, the commander of the Cornerian Defense Forces.

My initial consultation with him was nothing short of strange, considering that his first reaction to seeing me was thinking that I had been a test subject that escaped their research labs. Thankfully Fox explained that I was a new team member willing to do anything to help. Fox was the one that received the rewards for completing Missions and didn't keep any for himself. After all, the funds were used to maintain the Great Fox. The one thing I remember from that meeting was what the General said as I walked out of his office.

"Don't forget why you're here Justin. To serve and protect for the betterment of the Galaxy."

I gave him a gentle nod before I left that day, and now that has been my reason for being a part of the team. That, and being able to spend time with Krystal.

All those weeks of training, damn… Even now I still wonder how I managed to make it through at all. At times I felt like giving up, especially when my stomach would meet the business-end of Fox's fist during his training on hand-to-hand combat. I have the utmost respect for him, but the first few nights were tough. Yet I could always look forward to my time with Krystal. She had this way of healing my body and mind just by being close; as if all of my accumulated bruises suddenly became tiny bug-bites, though she always reminded me why she brought me with her in the first place. I had pledged myself to becoming one of them and I wasn't about to back down, not when I've come so far and gotten so strong. The gradual change in my body was palpable, as I went from a tall, skinny kid to a well-toned greaser type, minus the slicked hair and cigarettes. In the plainest of terms, it felt good. I'd look at myself in the mirror and think: "I wonder what Jared would say?"

As I acclimatized to the routine, days went by in their normal way, and memories of my past life slowly began to fade. I can still breathe a sigh of relieve whenever I think of the day that Krystal beamed the message in her pendant down to Earth. Hopefully my parents understand and aren't upset. Maybe if I get the chance I'll come back to Earth and visit them. Who knows?

"Justin, you okay? What's wrong?"

Slippy's voice suddenly interrupted my reflecting and sent a startled jolt through my body.

"Hunh?" I replied.

"You've been so quiet lately. What's up?"

"Oh nothing I was just uh, thinking."

"About what?" He asked.

"My training I guess, never thought I'd get this far."

"Reminiscing huh? Sorry I interrupted."

"No it's alright. I just get lost in thought sometimes." I answered.

"And I can hear every word of it!" Krystal suddenly announced.

To this day I still hate it when she does that.

"NOW she tells me!" I shouted jokingly.

That was followed by a few minutes of genuine laughter from everybody, including me.

"Don't worry, I'll try to keep it to myself as much as possible." She said still trying to contain her laughing.

"Thanks, I appreciate that." Before I got completely distracted, I took hold of the flight stick and kept a leveled heading.

Suddenly as I glanced toward the planet, a small cluster of flame began to rise out of the atmosphere. It was silver in color, with a bulky, rectangular frame. As the ship drew closer, an unrecognizable voice suddenly resonated through my headset.

"Hey Fox, I'm Jaina Morano. I contacted you about the shipment?"

The girl asked. She sounded young, which made me question why she would be carrying things as volatile as weapons at all.

"That's right. We'll escort you to Orinda V. Just let us know when you're ready." Fox answered.

"Alright guys listen up! We'll be traveling in standard formation on this one, but in the event that we get attacked, I want you all to switch it up to Formation Knightfall. Understood?" He instructed.

All of us agreed and prepared to move. "Knightfall" was a way of defending against sudden ambushes. Two ships would guard whatever we were protecting, and the rest would split up and engage the enemy. I positioned my Arwing on the transport's right-hand side and locked my altitude. From where I was stationed I could see the pilot's face in the cockpit. It was very cat-like with light, purple eyes and a smile that gave away her sunny disposition. When she noticed that I was looking at her, she shot me a flirting look. When I realized it was meant for me I simply smiled and nodded.

"Okay I'm in position. Everything good on your end?" I asked Fox.

"Yep, all systems normal. Be sure to keep an eye on your scanner Justin."

"Wilco." I replied.

For about an hour or so, the escort went smoothly. During that time the others talked amongst themselves while I conversed with the pilot. Jaina was surprisingly well-rounded; top of her class at the flight academy and supplied armaments to troops during Andross's invasion of Corneria. A galactic fugitive of some repute, Andross's brilliant scientific mind was used as an instrument of horrid experiments that eventually drove him into exile. Apparently he established an army on planet Venom and swore he would once rule the Lylat system. But team Star Fox put a stop to that many years ago.

"So what's your name?" Jaina asked.

"My name's Justin, I'm from-"

My scanner started to beep rapidly, my heart stopped when I saw four red dots show up on the radar, and they were closing in fast.

"Fox, my scanner's picked up several unknown contacts approaching the convoy!"

"What? Are they friendly or hostile?" He immediately asked.

I began franticly tapping buttons on the display to try and get their I.F.F (Identify Friend Foe) signatures, but nothing came up.

"I can't tell, but I think one of them is trying access our COMM links. They're, oh my god….!"

As one of the silver and red ships glided next to mine, the pilot that I saw within made my body feel cold and stiff.

He turned his grey head towards me and developed a devilish sharp-toothed grin, as he stared me down with dark-grey eyes he suddenly spoke;

"Well, well ,well… Fox has got himself a new recruit? Damn, who are they gonna pick up next?"

His voice was deep and cut straight through me. I was face to face with Fox's longtime enemy: Star Wolf. His face was covered in grey fur, with a long, spiked patch of white on the top of his head. The one thing that really made me fear him was his sharp claws, which were probably about as thick as my pinky finger.

"What's the matter? You scared?"

he taunted. I couldn't say anything, I was both terrified and shocked by his sudden appearance. I told myself,

"_You're not weak anymore! Stand up for yourself you idiot!"_

I gathered some semblance of bravery and gritted my teeth,

"I'll answer both of your questions, yes, and far from it!"

Even though I was afraid, I wasn't about to show it to someone like him. He seemed to indulge in my fear nonetheless and only grinned more.

"Ohh, tough guy huh?"

"Wait a minute…I know that voice. Star Wolf!" Fox interrupted.

"Step aside Fox, we'll take it from here."

"What gives you that idea? We got hired for this, not you!" He argued.

"Actually that's only half-right."

Jaina suddenly spoke up; I was surprised that she was still listening.

"I called Star Wolf on this as well, figured it would be cool to watch you guys duke it out! Hope you don't mind, hehe."

I turned my attention away from Wolf and stared at the young cat-girl, mouth agape.

The overwhelming fear inside me was soon replaced by fiery anger, "Why, you selfish little-!" What I said next would've probably made my Mom faint on the spot.

"Enough of this. Panther! Get rid of this guy, Fox is mine!" Wolf suddenly demanded.

"As you wish Commander…"

After Panther's low, seductive voice pierced my communicator, Wolf's ship rose up and sped towards Fox.

"Everyone split up! NOW!" Fox yelled as a dogfight ensued.

For the moment I maintained my post, it was all happening so fast and I couldn't decide how to react. My hands began to tremble as I gripped the flightstick, for the first time since joining Star Fox, I was in the middle of a situation where one mistake could cost me my life.

"Now Krystal, observe the downfall of your new friend!"

Panther hissed as I sped away from the convoy with him in pursuit.

"Panther, wait no!" She pleaded, but to no avail.

"Worry not my dear, I'll be sure to make his death quick and painless."

No matter how much I wanted to release every ounce of anger I had at him, I kept my eyes on my scanner. I anticipated that he would try to sideswipe me from the right side so I prepared to barrel roll to the left. The red dot on my radar got closer and closer, my Arwing was soon accelerating at mach speed; If I planned it correctly, he would miss and end up in range of my plasma cannons.

"_Okay…now!"_

I jerked the flight stick diagonally-left and barrel rolled clear of his path. I looked forward and saw that he indeed missed his mark and was directly in range, just asking to be shot. I directed all reserve power to the plasma cannons to augment their punch, I wasn't about to hold anything back from this bastard. His ship lined up with my crosshairs,

"Taste plasma you son of a bitch!" I growled.

The green bolts of energy connected with his rear field barrier and brought it down, now he was completely vulnerable. I suddenly heard his voice again,

"Ugh! Well struck boy, but it won't be enough!"

As he said that my cannon's secondary charge shot was at full power, like a caged stallion yearning to run. I didn't bother to respond and immediately squeezed the trigger. The large bolt only grazed the side of his Wolfen, yet he looked like he was losing control.

"Curses! Perhaps my time in this battle is at an end. I shall retreat for now. But before that, I must know the name of my opponent." Panther declared.

I sped my Arwing forward until Panther was beside it. My dark brown eyes lit up when I saw a pained look on his face. Just the fact that he brought Krystal into our conflict only strengthened my hate towards him.

"I'm Justin Cheves of Team Star Fox. Remember that!"

He for some reason, respectfully nodded his head.

"Very well Justin, may we meet again." He then pulled his ship out of sight.

"What! You were beaten by that kid? You worthless maggot!" Wolf roared. "That's it, I'll deal with him myself."

My few minutes of pride were immediately cut short as Wolf shifted his flight path away from Fox and toward me. Like a meteorite about to pulverize whatever stood in his way, he accelerated his ship at full speed. Without any time to think, I instinctively thrusted the flight stick downward as my Arwing went into a nosedive. Hoping to throw him off balance, I directed the ship to fly underneath the cargo vessel which I assumed that everyone had forgotten was there, and looped to the other side. I didn't want to stop, not when Wolf was out for my blood, literally! I just kept flying, weaving and dodging his shots when possible. I tried not to let my underlying fear of him shake me, after all, he was just another mercenary.

"Keep running weakling, I like my prey on the feisty side!" He hissed in a cocky way.

Even in all that chaos, I still couldn't believe I was actually in a space battle, much like all the sci-fi movies I've seen. As if that wasn't enough, I was being tailed by one of the most notorious criminals in the Lylat System. Damn. I kind of felt like someone who won VIP passes to a show or movie premiere, I was a part of the action! The slight grin on my face was soon expunged when I thought about the reality of it all, one wrong move…and I'm dead.

"Uhh, guys? I could use some support here!"

I barked to whoever would listen, and the first brought me even more worry.

"Copy Justin, I'm on my way!" The voice was that of Slippy.

Why him? While he has been a good friend throughout my time with Star Fox, and he proved to be quite an avid gamer; I didn't want him get shot down trying to help me. It's not that I hate him, I just don't trust his skills as a pilot. Man I wish I could relive those nights when him and I would stay up and do nothing but play videogames, but it's too bad I've got a homicidal Wolf bent on seeing me disintegrated on my tail.

"Hold on buddy! He's in my sights." Slippy declared.

Since I was flying straight on, I didn't pay attention to what Slippy was doing, I took a risky gamble and hoped that Slippy wouldn't miss.

"Hmph, too easy." I heard Wolf say.

Not before I felt my ship rattle and see the shield strength indicator at 0%.

Now I really felt defenseless, because one more shot like that and I'm done for.

"What just hit me?" I asked.

"Oh, sorry. That was uh…me." Slippy stuttered.

"Huh? You missed?"

"Yeah, he ascended right before I released the charge shot."

I couldn't believe it, by then I might as well have been dead already. Now my shields were down and I was completely exposed. Even if I tried to turn around and retaliate, Wolf would probably land another clean hit. I couldn't dodge him forever either, so I had no hope of fighting back. As the situation set in I began to feel hopelessly trapped; like a swift animal finally getting caught after a long hunt. I took a deep breath and looked around at the view outside the ship hoping for some solution, and in fact, there was.

A tan colored planet, Titania; slightly larger than Earth, was in my ship's view. I wasn't too far from the convoy, so what I thought of doing next was a bit crazy, even to me.

_"It's the only way." _I thought, "_I just need to provoke him a little."_

"Hey Wolf, Panther didn't really put up much of a fight. Let's see if you can do better!" I sneered.

"Oh I can, and I will. Leon! Come with me, let's finish this kid off!"

"With pleasure sir, this should be entertaining!"

The other voice was that off a cold-blood chameleon named Leon Powalski. Fox had told me about him before, cunning, sneaky, and above all deadly. Still he always finished his descriptions of him with, "I wouldn't worry though. He talks tough, but his flying tells a different story." I definitely wasn't expecting him to call in a wingman, but I set my flight path and ignited the thrusters. Without any hesitation, the planet drew closer and closer, and before long I was in the atmosphere.

"Justin, where in the world are you going?"

Krystal's face suddenly appeared on my front monitor. It was a separate channel, so the others couldn't hear our conversation. I took off my helmet, wiped the sweat from my forehead and managed to produce a weak smile,

"To my destiny." I said.

Krystal's eyes widened, "What do you mean?"

"Krystal, this has been an incredible journey for me. I think now is the time for me to say thank you."

"Justin what are you-"

"And I also wanted to say how much I loved you throughout this time."

Suddenly, I glimpsed a tear run down her face as she smiled, her and I have been inseparable since I first joined them; but now I had to say goodbye, no matter how painful it felt.

"If I'm going down, then I'm taking these two with me." I said proudly.

"Justin please don't…don't do this to me!"

Krystal then began to cry heavily,"I trust you more than anyone! Please come back…please."

She said in between sobbing. The ship nearly broke through the atmosphere, but it was slowly losing parts on all sides. I decided that my chances of surviving re-entry were slim, and there was no turning back.

"Laskeh0 aj m0 tojkad0 Krystal, A celo 0ei…"

I spoke to her in Saurian for that moment. She had taught me the language's alphabet, but I had to practice quite a bit before I could form sentences. It was the first time I tried to speak to her that way, so I hope I got it right. She sniffed once more and whispered,

"A celo 0ei kee Justin."

I reached over to the control panel and tapped a button to sever the connection. All that remained in my view was Titania, which was now closer than ever. I spared a glance at my radar which displayed two red dots behind me. I breathed a collective sigh of relieve when I saw that Wolf and Leon were still following me. Now, it was time to end this…

"Sir, we have to pull out! Our ships can't handle the intense heat!" Leon wailed.

"Shut up! I'm not letting this punk get away alive!"

_"That's right, keep following me Wolf…Let's see how tough you are." _I slyly thought.

My ship was barely intact, but I could still control the landing sequence. As I broke through a thick line of clouds, I saw the planet's surface; A large and seemingly barren savannah landscape, with only several oases dotting the turf. I shifted direction as best I could towards a large clearing in the land that was long enough to sustain my landing. I tensed myself to the point when my black flight suit felt rock- solid, and descended toward the ground…

"-lease respond, Justin are you there? This is Krystal, Please Justin, respond!"

I very slowly opened my blurred eyes to the sound of Krystal's voice over my ship's communicator. I desparately wanted to answer back, but I could barely move my arms or legs. I swiveled my head and saw that I was still in the cockpit of my Arwing; I had no recollection of the crash or whether Wolf and Leon were still in pursuit. I had to answer Krystal, I just had to let her know I was okay; but my body didn't permit it. Using all my strength, I sluggishly leaned forward and tapped a button to reinitiate the connection.

"Kr…Krystal. You alright?"

My voice was weak and raspy, so I wasn't sure if she heard; but a loud gasp from the other end told me otherwise.

"Justin! Are you okay?" She yelled happily.

My face hurt as I did so, yet I produced a wide smile.

"Yeah, I'm…fine. But I can't get out of my Arwing, it's completely wrecked."

She had trouble containing her glee as she kept repeating "Justin, please don't do that again." and, "I love you so much."

"I know, I love you too." I answered. "Can you come and get me? I'll activate the locator beacon." I said flicking a switch above my head.

"Of course, of course. I'm on my way."

Suddenly I realized, that Wolf and Leon could track the signal as well.

"Oh no… I have to get out of here!" I said to myself.

Since the ship was so badly damaged, I had trouble trying crack open the hatch concealing me from the outside. So I had to be quick; lifting my right leg up, I leaned back and kicked the shield, shattering it to pieces. As the outside air snaked its' way through my lungs I surprisingly didn't suffocate. It was rich with oxygen and I had no need for my helmet. I grasped the edges of the canopy and pulled myself upward. The land was beautiful, like a large desert illuminated by a shining sun against a clear sky. I was expecting a heat wave, yet the air was temperate but still warm. Thankfully, my flight suit's thin gel layer protected me from whatever harmful effects the air concealed. It was strangely peaceful, with only a slight breeze and chirping creatures filling the environment with sound. I took a step out of the ship and on to the sandy ground, instinctively I scanned the horizon and sky above me, I couldn't see any ships inbound. I breathed out, relieved of my discretion.

For about ten minutes I sat near the smoldering wreckage of my Arwing and waited for something to happen; whether it be and explosion or the sound of ship's thrusters, I was hoping for anything. Almost like a shooting star, I saw a quick flash of light pierce the sky. As it slowed down the object turned towards me. I clenched the handle of my blaster anticipating the ship to be a Wolfen. Within minutes it landed probably ten feet away from me, and the cockpit's hatch spurred open. The figure that stepped out was slender and wearing a dark blue outfit, with a long blue and white tail swaying in the wind. The pilot soon removed her helmet, and her sapphire eyes grew two sizes larger.

"Krystal?" I said trying to stand up.

She then broke into a fast run right in my direction, all I could do was hold out my arms and wait.

"Uff!" I grunted as she tackled me in her embrace.

Without saying a word, our faces melted into a warm kiss; even though she was on top of me, I felt no pain. Our lips slowly separated as I stared at her beautiful eyes. She smiled and put her hand on the side of my face.

"Hey Krystal." I whispered.

"Please don't do that again. Alright?" She said cheerfully.

I slightly lifted my gloved hand and she immediately gripped it.

"I forgot to ask, how's my Saurian?" I queried softly.

Krystal blinked, "It's perfect."

I chuckled a little and stroked the side of her face.

"I'm sorry that I-"

"No, don't say that. I should have been with you." She interjected.

"You are now." I said caringly. Krystal smiled widely and suddenly rested her head on my chest.

"Hey, I know you're enjoying this but can you help me up?"

"Oh, heh heh, sorry."

She took hold of my hand and pulled. Before I could so much as stagger, I was roped into another hug; only this time, I wanted to stay like this. Krystal affectionately nuzzled her face against mine and tried to speak.

"I won't lose you ever again." Krystal sounded like she was close to tears.

"I know. Don't worry, I'm here." I whispered back. As her embrace became tighter, I felt like resting just as I was; letting her love hold me aloft.

When out of nowhere, I heard a blaster discharge.

"Aaaaaaaaahh!" I screamed as the shot hit my back.

It punched right through my suit but the gel-layer stopped it, partially. I fell forward but caught the landing with my hands; it felt like someone stuck a branding iron to my bare skin.

"Justiiiiiin!" I heard Krystal scream.

"Awww, I just love breakin' up cute pairs like that."A low voice quipped.

"Indeed Star Wolf! Quite fun!" Another sneered.

I jolted upward and saw Wolf and Leon standing nearby with blasters in hand.

"Why can't you leave us alone!" Krystal growled.

"Because they came here looking for a fight." I interjected.

She then extended a small rod which turned out to be her staff and braced herself.

"Then I'll be happy to oblige!" She snarled.

I was slightly intimidated seeing her this way, I never pictured her to be a fighter; nevertheless, I had to fight them no matter how hurt I was. Krystal let out a flamboyant cry as she swiftly twirled the staff above her head and struck the ground with it. I felt the land shake violently for a few seconds as I watched Wolf and Leon become completely paralyzed. They merely stood there, unable to move yet grunting angrily.

"Justin hold still!"

"Huh?" I stuttered.

I unexpectedly felt myself being lifted off the ground. I was enveloped in some kind of turquoise aura that covered my entire body. The strange light seeped through my arms and legs, healing whatever ailment stood in its' path. Oddly enough as my feet touched the ground, there was no ounce of pain or discomfort that remained. I wanted to ask what she did, but I focused on Wolf, and how much I wanted to tear him apart.

"You think you can take me down?" I snarled as I ran towards Wolf at full speed.

"Huuuaahh!"

I landed two clean punches and sent him to the ground with a powerful roundhouse kick. Just then, Leon flew towards me brandishing a curved dagger. I automatically grabbed my belt-holstered reflector and held it in my assailant's direction. The Reflector burst forth in a fat, hexagonal barrier that shocked him and absorbed his blow. I immediately followed up with a swift Aerial Rave (which as Fox taught me, was an uppercut then a jumping spin kick). The attack launched Leon a few feet away from me, even I was surprised by how much I learned since then.

Wolf then sprang up and let out a feral roar that made me pause; needless to say, he was angry at the unfair start. He leapt at me like a fierce animal and rapidly swiped me with his sharp claws. I was able to dodge most of the flurry, but I was abruptly knocked to the ground by a sudden, sweeping kick from Wolf. He looked down at me and held his blaster to my head. His face cracked into a bare-toothed smile as I looked on in horror.

"Hmph, what a waste of time for Fox to train you." He taunted. "I was expecting more."

I tightly clenched my fist, "Then more is what you'll get!" I said through gritted teeth.

I forcefully kicked him in the stomach and used the rebounding momentum to back-roll onto my feet. Without hesitation I dashed forward and became deadlocked in his hands. Our faces were inches away from each other and we were both grunting heavily. So close that I could smell his breath, which made me gag slightly.

"You can't…win this!" Wolf snorted.

"Watch me…"

I then seized the opportunity by grasping his arms and hurling him over my shoulder. Remarkably, he recovered by somersaulting. He was too fast and I knew it from the start, but I didn't think he was _that_ good. My heart was pounding so rapidly that I thought it would explode; I was never perceived as a warrior, yet here I am…

Wolf jumped at me once more but I falsely anticipated a horizontal blow. Instead he crippled my left leg with a low kick. I collapsed on one knee and wailed as the searing pain shot through the limb, yet Wolf wasn't finished. As I lifted my head up he brutally sliced his clawed hand across my face. It was so painful that I didn't even scream after he made contact. I felt my body grow numb, as I dropped onto the sandy ground. From where I was laying I could see Krystal thrashing away at Leon with her staff. I was helpless against whatever Wolf would do next, was he going to kill me or just leave me there to rot? The uncertainty wasn't as frightening as watching Krystal being ganged up on without me helping her. I felt so weak.

I began to think back to the beginning, when I wanted to relentlessly prove myself useful to them. They put me through all manner of these virtual endurance tests to see if I'd be able to handle life in space. It beat me to the ground, and even now I still don't know why I always got back up. At the end of each day, I'd look out into the sleeping abyss of space, wondering if I truly belonged among their ranks. But what really kept me going was Krystal. It never mattered whether she talked to me or not, just the sight of her was enough to revitalize my being. I didn't know what I was thinking earlier, maybe I was just trying to show off. Now look where that's gotten me…It's my fault that she's in this mess with me now, and dying here will be nothing but a slap to the face of Team Star Fox. No more petty games. This place will be Wolf's grave.

My legs quivered as I regained consciousness. I grunted in pain, and suddenly Wolf halted his advance on Krystal, turning towards me. He bore his teeth, even more angry than before. I did my best to keep a firm stance, but I was starting to get lightheaded from the blood loss.

"I guess you want more of your face torn off!" Wolf growled, "I'm gonna rip your damn heart out and splatter it over your grave!" He charged at me, claws drawn. This fight had to end. I reached for my reflector again, absorbing his first blow, then drew my blaster with the other. I held it to his face and stifled the thought of pulling the trigger. We both froze in place. I guess he really does value his life after all. I maintained my gaze on him, seeing Leon in my periphery.

"Leave," I said, "and we'll forget this ever happened." Wolf growled and his tail began to twirl. Leon held his ground but didn't strike at Krystal; he waited for his boss's order. Just then, my commlink began to chatter, I kept my blaster trained as I answered.

"Justin? This is Fox, you alright?" He said, I never felt more relieved to hear his voice.

"Yeah, I'm still breathing. Wolf and Leon decided to stop by for a chat." I said, brazenly.

"Forget about them right now, we've secured the cargo. Jaina's on her way to safety as we speak. You and Krystal have to get back ASAP, we're done here." Wolf and Leon exchanged confused looks, as if they couldn't decide how to react. "And Justin," Fox added, sighing, "good to hear you're okay. Fox out." I finally smiled at the proceedings.

"Walk away right now and I won't shoot you in the back." I said, "You guys lost." Wolf's devious smile returned and I braced myself. My weapon was still trained on him.

"You've got guts, I'll give you that," he sneered, "but don't think this is over. Not by a longshot." He moved closer, "Next time we meet, I'll bury you." With that he turned towards Leon and motioned him to stand down.

"But, but, we're so close!" Said Leon, "what about our pay?"

"Don't worry about it, Powalski. There's bigger fish to fry than this." The two of them soon boarded their ships and took off. Before disappearing into the clouds, I saw Wolf flip me the bird. I chuckled, what a charmer. Krystal approached and wrapped me in an embrace; above all else, I was glad she was in one piece.

"You okay?" I asked. She pulled away and smiled,

"I will be…once we get back." She looked at the wreckage of my ship and chuckled, "which might be a problem for you." I scratched my head,

"Fox'll chew me up for this one." She then motioned me to follow her back to her ship. As I looked back at the shell of my starfighter, I somehow smiled. I'm leaving the mistakes behind, and now's my chance to start anew. I can't get distracted now, especially in these peculiar times.

"That was very bold of you, by the way." Krystal said, "But why did you let him go?"

"As much as I hate him and his crew, they're just trying to earn their wage." I said, "And besides, there was no way I could've fought longer. I just didn't have the strength." She assured me that it was strength nonetheless that got me out of that fight alive. It made sense, though I still dreaded the thought of crossing paths with Wolf again. I still have much to learn.


	4. Whatever Arms Will Hold You

A Krystal Encounter

Chapter 4: Whatever Arms will Hold you

The crew was assembled in the lounge; I could hear their chatter just as I stepped out of the infirmary. ROB managed to stop the bleeding, but the scars would take a while to heal. It felt painful just to reminisce on the whole fight. I definitely wasn't about to underestimate their skill again. It was strange yet satisfying all at once; I got hurt, but kept them from interfering with the job. I never thought myself capable of the feat. The doors to the living area parted as I neared them, and I stepped through without hesitation. I didn't feel like hiding the marks, they'd see them anyway.

"Ah, there you are." Said Falco, "We thought you'd snooze you're life away." I chuckled, thankfully his sense of humor is unwavering.

"How's my face look?" I had to ask.

"Wolf left a mark on you, that's for sure." Fox answered, "But you're still here. That's all you need to worry about." He was right, I had to focus from here on. I took a seat and covered my face, letting out a tired sigh. With what I've gone through so far, I'm surprised I didn't have a heart-attack.

"Did Jaina make it through alright?" I asked, "I mean, I was kinda worried about her."

"Oh, she was fine." Said Peppy. "She spoke to us before you woke up, saying that she hoped you would feel better."

"I was _this_ close to smacking that kid across the face." Added Falco, "She called up Star Wolf when we had everything covered! "Ugh, makes me feel like molting!" He ruffled his feathers, making his face puff out like a cotton ball.

"Cool it there, birdbrain." Said Slippy, "I'm just glad we all made it safely. We rock!" I laughed, feeling like the conflict was far behind, even though it had only been a couple of hours since.

"You did good down there Justin, you kept a cool head." Fox said.

"No, we both did." I replied, looking at Krystal. "I wouldn't have gotten out of there alive if she didn't come. Who knows how long I could've been stuck there?" The blue vixen blushed. Fox nodded and assured that my actions helped them secure the mission. I felt like I had finally earned his respect after all this time, especially after he heard about the conflict. Him and I have been respectable of each other thus far, but he never actually treated me like a comrade. That's not to say we hated the other's guts but you get the idea.

With immense relief in my heart I relaxed amongst my partners and friends in the lounge area, wearing only my soft flannel pants and my necklace(which somehow survived the scorching hot descent onto the tan planet). The single mark that they all equally stared at was the scar on my face from Wolf's claws. Three long, slices across the left side of my expression generated an indelible reminder of his strength, especially for me. Even so, the gathering felt like a class reunion; I was with the people I trust and care for to such a lofty extent, and they were happy that I returned safely. Yet my consciousness held a lingering sense of wonder, what else could this universe throw at me? Have I been through the worst of their adventures? Probably not. I drowned the notions, literally, with a few sips of water. I felt Krystal's eyes on me, and I turned to her. Now I owe her my life. She smiled and kissed my face, unafraid of my scars.

"Hey Justin now that you're back, You wanna face me in V. C. E.?" Those three letters were an acronym for "Virtual Combat Evolved;" it was a game that Slippy and I played all the time during my training days. It's a fighting game that features a full, 3-D battlefield with shifting terrain, moving platforms and other hazards. A maximum of 4 combatants could battle it out in a single match and whoever is left standing wins. The movement of characters was very fast and fluid, with automatic jumping from platform to platform, and the ability to initiate aerial combat. I was never one to play fighting games back on Earth but I gave it a shot, and was thoroughly owned by Slippy's skills.

I thought about it for a moment and smirked, "I'm a little tired but…yeah let's do it!"

"Sweet! Lemme just get the system set up." Slippy exclaimed as a dashed over to a control box on the wall and flicked a switch. The light's steadily dimmed and a large 82-inch monitor descended from the ceiling. This time I wasn't surprised at the layout but the first time he turned it on, my jaw was on the floor for several seconds. He soon handed me a controller and turned the power on. Within a few moments the screen came to life bearing a stylishly blue title: "Virtual Combat Evolved." Slippy quickly navigated through each option and set the fight for a 5 minute, 180 HP battle. Soon the character selection screen appeared, with about 30 fighters to choose from. They ran the gamut of Anthros from a swift and deadly snake creature named Xin Ye, to a massive armored mech character named Delta Mk II. Slippy naturally chose the Frog fighter named Calivur; who was a muscular amphibian clad in long, tan cargo pants and a red bandana around his head. His weapons were twin, spiked tonfas which he gripped in firm and battle-ready stance.

My on-screen highlighter randomly scrolled through each character's portrait as Fox and Falco shouted back and forth.

"Yeah, use Grevik he's awesome!" Fox proclaimed. "No way, Freedan could whup his ass in 5 seconds flat!" Falco protested.

"I use Grevik everytime I face you, and I always win." Fox said with a cocky smile.

"That's because you keep spamming his Earthquake move!"

"I never did that once!"

Both of them argued for about a minute or two until Peppy stood up, "Will you two just shut your beaks! Jeez, it's like listening to a pair of four-year olds fighting over a toy!" Falco looked ready to explode when he heard Peppy say 'beak' but he sat back anyway. I couldn't help but laugh out loud at their arguing, and got distracted from the game entirely. Midway through my laughter I had accidently dropped the controller.

"What's so funny?" Fox asked, infuriated. My chest started to ache as I tried to contain myself, after a few last-minute chuckles I looked back at him.

"I don't know, you and Falco remind me of how me and Jared used to fight." I said still holding back giggles. "Sorry."

"Heh, it's alright. But who's Jared?" He asked. I looked down steadily, "My brother."

"Um Justin? You still haven't picked a character yet." Krystal said as she tapped my shoulder. "Oh, right." I picked the controller back up and scrolled through some more fighters.

I was trying to find Jeggei, the character I used when I first played the game. Then within 2 scrolls, I found him: A white tiger wearing flashy, silver garb on his body and bearing a scar on his right eye. His weapon of choice was a platinum sword that he kept sheathed on his back. Without hesitation I selected him and the screen changed to a collection of stages. Slippy impatiently chose the RANDOM option and waited for the game to load.

"Well Justin, you ready?" He asked.

I extended my arm and bumped his knuckle. "As I'll ever be Slippy."

I watched as the fighters digitally materialized onto the glacial battlefield, going through their introductory lines.

Calivur spoke first in a rough, gravely voice and rapidly twirled his tonfas; "Show me what ya got fresh meat!"

Jeggei then gracefully somersaulted into the air and drew his sword upon landing, "Let my path be illuminated by the light of the Moon." He said calmly. Suddenly there was a countdown: 3…2…1…FIGHT!"

As the battle drew on, I saw that we were at a stalemate, Calivur had strength and a stout spirit, while I was swift and precise. My slashes seemed to be like tiny bug bites in the face of my adversary, yet I wasn't afraid. After knocking my opponent back with Lunar Repulse, I leapt from glacier to glacier and eventually found a spot to collect my thoughts. I knelt down and thrusted my sword into the icy ground as the faint glow of the morning sun shimmered off of the blade. _"There must be a way." _I thought as I gripped the swords hilt. Suddenly an idea came to mind, _"The Star Divide! Yes, it has to work."_ "Star Divide" is my ultimate move, one that requires careful timing and practice in order to be executed by my controller. I trusted that the controller registered to me as Justin would be able to pull it off without fail. I observed as much during practice rounds. I can hear Calivur drawing closer to my hiding spot, it's only a matter of time before I'm discovered. Be careful Justin…

With rapid button presses and rotations of the analog stick, I jumped up from behind the small ice-floe and lunged at Calivur.

"I knew you were hiding there!" Slippy yelled as Calivur took a few hits from Jeggei.

"I've gotten better Slippy, just you watch!" I retorted confidently. Instantly after Calivur's guard was broken I tapped a quick button combo: X,X,Y,X, Up+B. (Which translates to Punch, Punch, Kick, Punch, Waning Crescent.) The final move was a rising sword slash that sent Calivur flying. I could hear Slippy franticly mashing the recover button in order to break his flight.

"Damn Justin, you have gotten better." Fox chortled from the other side of the couch. "Thanks, I do my best not to disappoint." I replied with a wink.

Then as I returned my focus to the fight, Slippy's fighter somehow recovered before slamming into a wall and charged back at Jeggei.

I tried for a heavy slash but to my horror, Calivur used his counter move and stunned Jeggei; unable to move for a few seconds, I was helpless to his next attack.

"Hahaaah you're finished now! Venom Jab!" Slippy cried as Calivur's tonfas became infused with a dark, purple substance; I tried to block but wasn't fast enough. Calivur thrusted his weapons as fast as machineguns into Jeggei's chest, hurling him backwards and dropping his health down to 58%.

This was met with an outburst of "Ooooww, that's gotta hurt!" from Fox and Falco.

"Don't worry Justin you still have a chance to win." Krystal said resting her arm on my shoulder. I took a quick look at Slippy who seemingly sat back and thought the fight would end itself, but unfortunately for him, he fell right into my trap…

With Jeggei's health that low, his Overdrive gauge filled up rapidly. Once it was at peak capacity, Star Divide was primed and ready. Without paying attention to Slippy's taunts or hesitation, I took one last leap at an unguarded Calivur.

With the button combo inputed, Jeggei's sword began to glow a bright blue color as he reared his hand; "Here it goes, STAAAAR DIVIDE!" Jeggei shouted as he flew forward with his sword extended.

The blade impaled Calivur in a brief spark and within seconds his health was completely depleted. Calivur echoed in pain as Jeggei jerked the sword out of his body. "Jeggei Wins!" The games announcer declared.

With a huge grin on my face I stood up and mimicked my character's victory pose; Jeggei rapidly twirled his sword a few times and said, "You still have much to learn" before sheathing it. Slippy just sat there with his gaping mouth wide open and didn't utter a single sound. I turned to Krystal and shrugged my shoulders.

"Be prepared, Slippy holds on to things like this for quite a while." She said, patting my back. He lost at a videogame; so what? At least face it with humility and honesty in defeat. Slippy paused for a few moments and let out an exasperated breath;

"Ok…how…the hell, did you manage to beat my best character?"

"I honestly don't know. I either got lucky or someone was helping me." I said winking at Krystal.

"Whatever, now come on! Rematch!"

"Nah, I'm gonna turn in for the night." I said with a yawn. "Hope you don't mind."

"Ackh, alright. Tomorrow okay?"

"Yes of course, good night guys; you too Krystal." I said giving her a peck on the cheek. They all bid me farewell in unison as I crossed the room to my door. They stuck around and continued to converse. Falco was particularly interested in where the money was going. Fox told him to be patient and that he'll always get his cut. I tuned out their chatter as I gave my teeth a quick brush, a routine thing that I had to get in before betd. With one last spit of toothpaste into the sink I looked up at the mirror and was startled to see Krystal standing near the doorway.

"Hey Justin, mind if I talk to you for a minute?…" She asked, a bit nervous.

"Sure, what's on your mind?" I answered wiping the remains of toothpaste from my mouth.

Krystal walked closer and began stroking my forearm gently, "I was…worried about you back on Titania. You could've gotten killed."

"But I'm still here, aren't I?" I said, lightly. She didn't seem amused.

"You can't be reckless, Justin. One mistake during a mission can cost you your life or worse." Her voice was grave, "Do you understand?"

"Yes, I understand."

"Please, promise me you won't try to be brave all the time. After all you…" Krystal said, Her eyes suddenly began to well up in tears and she gripped me even tighter than before. I realized that she must've been scared of losing me after thinking I burned up in Titania's atmosphere. The thought of saying goodbye for good…I don't even want to stomach the notion of her going through something like that again.

"No problem Krystal. I promise." I whispered to her. She looked up at me with watery eyes then immediately buried her face in my chest. I thought I heard her mumble "Thank you" as I felt her tears drip onto me. I knew now more than ever that my reason for being here was to do some good, and to protect others. Especially the crew. If not for their trust then for what?

"You want to stay with me tonight?" I asked, feeling bold again. She sniffed and looked back up at me, smiling.

"I'd like that." She said, happily.

I walked her over to my bed and we covered ourselves in the sheets. Before shutting the light off, Krystal laid down next to me and draped her arm around my neck. She seemed to purr as I tenderly stroked her silky, blue hair in return.

"You feel so warm. Why is that?" She asked in a soft voice.

"Because I know that fight wasn't for nothing, and that you're still safe.

She smiled as we shared one last kiss before drifting off to sleep. Her soft and rhythmic breathing was enough to make all my muscles feel relaxed and at peace. I was happy that she felt safe near me, because I'll never leave her alone again. I said a quick prayer to myself and snuggled close to her, letting all my problems in the universe be drowned out by tranquility.


	5. The Nightmare

A Krystal Encounter

Chapter 5: The Nightmare

_To all my devoted readers who have stuck with me thus far, I have to say thank you. With all the attention that this story has gotten, I have even more incentive to write it than before. I'm not exactly sure when the story will end but suffice to say, I'll continue adding more to each chapter. This one in particular has a scene where Me and Krystal sing. I'm unsure about keeping it or changing it so I'll count on your feedback to make that decision. Still, thank you all for your support. I'm truly grateful._

My mind began to stir; I realized that I was moving somehow, weightless and unsure of where I was going. Suddenly I was standing in my room back on Earth; each of the figures and models on the shelves seemed to all look at me, wondering what I had become. I was confused and somehow frightened, _I shouldn't be here… _I thought tensely. "_Fox, Krystal, everybody; where are they? Why am I here?"_ The questions hit me like stabs from a knife; I couldn't comprehend what brought me back to my room all of a sudden. Looking into my bedroom mirror, I saw that I was still in my blue fox form (or Azure for short) and was wearing nothing discernable; almost like I was a blank slate. Around my neck was the arrowhead, I was relieved to see something recognizable but as I tried to grasp it, the necklace faded into a cloud of dust right in front of me. I gasped in horror as the necklace never returned to me; I had just lost one of the few things that remained of my family. My dark, brown eyes began to fill with tears as I laid my hands on the dresser, weeping like I had lost a member of my family. Around the same time, I heard a voice from outside the room; it was crying like me, but even more sorrowful than I was.

I picked my head back up and automatically stepped out of my room and into the hallway. The green carpet felt soft on my feral feet as I gingerly stepped along. From the top of the stairs I could see the kitchen, the crying became louder as I peeked around the corner; sitting at the table while looking down at some photos was my Mother. I instantly ran down the stairs and hugged her but she didn't even feel that I was there.

"Mom? It's me, Justin! I'm here!" I said. She kept her eyes on the photos and continued to flip through them, with a tear occasionally falling from her face. They were pictures of me when I was younger, some of them even showed me as a newborn being coddled in my Mother's arms. From the looks of it they had small blotches from her tears and looked old and worn out.

Behind me I could hear some kind of news report, "The search for Justin, a 16 year-old Rhode Island teenager has been unfortunately called off. The boy disappeared from his home on August 12, 2010 at an unspecified time, officials believe that he was apparently kidnapped or simply ran away. But at the moment Justin has been making it apparent that he doesn't want to be found…"

My heart beat stopped for a few seconds after I heard this, like someone suddenly pulled the plug that was keeping me alive.

"But…that doesn't make sense. I'm right here! Mom, why won't you answer me?" I beseeched with tears about to rain down my face.

The brown haired woman didn't even pivot her head in response; she just sat there sobbing over my photos hoping that I would return.

"Why? Why would he run away? What did I do wrong?" she wept. "Oh God please. Justin! Please come baaaack!"

I wanted to respond but my voice was suddenly silenced. Even though I tried to scream I heard nothing, blankness, emptiness, like someone who doesn't have a soul. The room suddenly dissolved before my eyes into darkness, and I was in the middle of it all. Voices started clamoring around in my head, mocking my inability to justify what I did. All I could do was endure the pain and hope it would stop but it only got worse. They started calling me things: Worthless, selfish, uncaring; they described someone that could be my dark alter ego, my shadow, everything that I'm not. I wanted it to stop but no matter how much I screamed and yelled it all continued…

I jolted upward from the bed in a wash of fear. Cold sweat trickled down the back of my neck as I breathed heavily. The room was very dark and I could barely see, only adding to the nightmare's aftermath. As my vision adjusted I searched for the light switch, in doing so I shook the bed a little and startled Krystal who was still sleeping. I twisted the dial on top of the lamp and soon the room was illuminated.

"Justin are you alright? What's wrong?" Krystal asked, rubbing her tired eyes.

I didn't bother to respond and only embraced her tightly. The feeling of her body against mine was enough to give me comfort. I knew she would sense my troubled thoughts and realize that I had a nightmare. I slowly started to cry in her arms, unable to speak up for myself; words were inadequate to describe my sadness anyway.

She gently stroked my back and exhaled in sympathy, "Justin don't cry. I understand your pain." Krystal cooed.

"You miss your Mother?"

"Ye...Yeah." I stuttered.

"What happened?"

"I saw my mom crying, begging me to come home…I've never seen her so sad." I sniveled repeatedly trying to form words.

"Dreams are tricks of the mind," Krystal assured. "I'm sure your Mother is well."

"I hate seeing her like that. I just…" I couldn't find the strength to speak. The dream felt so real, almost as if I saw what was currently happening back home.

" Um…where's that thing you call an MP3 player?" Krystal suddenly asked.

Regaining my composure, I reached into the white bag and pulled it out; along with the adaptor cable. I handed it to her and Krystal plugged it into the room's small speaker system.

"Why do you need that all of a sudden?" I timidly asked.

"There's something I want to show you. I've been practicing."

She found a song and pressed play, I realized she chose "You'll be in my Heart" by Phil Collins. The music filled the room but wasn't loud enough to wake everyone else up. Looking at me with a smile, Krystal took a deep breath, and truly amazed me:

"**Come stop your crying, it will be alright. Just take my hand, hold it tight.**

**I will protect you from all around you. I will be here, don't you cry.**

**For one so small, you seem so strong. My arms will hold you keep you safe and warm.**

**This bond between us can't be broken. I will be here, don't you cry.**

**Cause you'll be in my heart. No matter what they say."**

Her voice was so beautiful. It made me even more grateful to be the one she loved. I decided to return the favor, and gathered the strength to sing back.

"**Why can't they understand the way we feel?**

**They just don't trust, what they can't explain.**

**I know we're different but deep inside us; we're not that different at all.**

**And you'll be in my heart. Yes you'll be in my heart.**

**From this day on, now and forever more."**

The both of us locked hands and didn't let go. Krystal took her free hand and stroked my cheek tenderly. No matter what sadness I was feeling before, it was completely gone now. As the song continued, we alternated with the lyrics.

"**Don't listen to them, cause what do they know?**

**We need each other to have to hold. They'll see in time, I know."**

"**When destiny calls you, you must be strong. **

**I may not be with you but you've got to hold on. They'll see in time, I know."**

"**We'll show them together cause, you'll be in my heart."**

For the remainder of the song I just sat there with her, letting all my sadness peel off of my soul. She wasn't kidding when she said she would always be with me, and that only made me feel that much better.

"How did you learn to sing that song?" I asked with a tear in my eye.

"I found it fascinating when you first showed it to me. I decided to try it while you were sparring with Fox." She smirked.

"You could've asked me you know." I joked.

"I know but I wanted to surprise you. I thought you'd like it."

I grasped her hand tightly, "Thank you. I'm sorry that I woke you up."

"It's alright; I would've woken up anyway after hearing your heavy breathing."

I chuckled somewhat and scratched the back of my head, heh, all this over a nightmare. Even so, I was still worried about my Mom; despite the possibility that it was just my mind messing with me. I stiffly got up from the bed and walked over to the bathroom alcove. With a twist of a metal knob, the sink began filling with water. When it became a small puddle, I scooped up some of the cold liquid and splashed it on my face. I did this a few more times a bit unknowingly; I needed to do something other than angst. The face staring back at me in the mirror looked shaken, with sulking blue and white fur that dripped all over. I firmly grasped the arrowhead around my neck realizing that it was still there, _"I'd be without a limb before I lose that thing," _I thought.

"Justin, now that we're awake, why don't you and I share some breakfast? Krystal asked.

I was relieved that she broke the eerie silence, and breakfast sounded great.

"Sounds good to me!" I answered, wiping my face dry. Even as I followed her out of the room and into the lounge, I could still hear my mom crying in my head, it just wouldn't cease. I shook it off and looked forward to having some food in my stomach. Krystal and I proceed to one of the refrigerators along the wall, in doing so I looked at the digital clock: 5:18. It was still pretty early, but quiet just the way I like it. After opening the fridge's door, I reached behind a few wrapped up items and leftovers before I felt the handles of the cornflake dispenser and milk jug. Pulling the two transparent containers out, I set them down on the bar in front of me. One last thing I needed of course was a bowl and spoon; usually I'd be lazy and eat the flakes dry but I needed the full complement this time, especially since the splash of water made me thirsty. Soon I was swiftly lifting each spoonful of flakes into my mouth accompanied by a cold sensation as they traveled down my throat. Meanwhile, Krystal sat next to me snacking on a chocolate energy bar she got from a cabinet nearby.

"Any plans for today?" She asked, taking another bite.

"I guess I'll just lift some weights later, and see if Slippy is still up for that rematch."

"That fight was pretty extraordinary, I still can't believe you defeated him."

"Neither can I. But if Jeggei's special attack missed then he would have beaten me." I replied, finishing my cereal.

As I rinsed out the bowl in the sink, I could feel Krystal's eyes on me. She was probably reading my mind or maybe she felt that I was still worried. I guess I was but not as bad as before.

"You going to be alright? You did look pretty shaken." She said.

I turned back to her after putting the bowl away, "Yeah I'll be fine. I just need something to take my mind off it."

"Okay, I'll see you at the morning briefing. Be well Justin." After that she left the room and it was quiet again.

This time the silence only made me even more uneasy. I was half-anticipating the harsh voices to start clamoring around in my head within moments. I scanned the room, waiting for something to happen, yet it all remained still and barren. My ears twitched at the lack of sound as I turned and made my way to the exit.

"_Hope the weight room isn't this quiet."_


	6. The Return

**Hey guys, Justin here, yet another chapter in the Krystal Encounter Saga. This time Justin hopes atone for his past sins and makes a tough choice. I have to admit I stole one line from the ending of Halo REACH( if you beat the game, you'd know what I'm talking about). There's also a Toy Story reference for those with keen eyes. Anyway I hope you all enjoy it and thank you for the support you've given me so far. Right now I've been working in tandem with Zane Cross, bouncing ideas back and forth and wotnot; so far it's worked well. I just read chapter 8 and it was great buddy! Anyway guys, see you starside. **

**(gives two-fingered salute)**

Chapter 6: The Return

"32…Damn I hate this!...33… uuugh!..34…" Sweat was pouring from my forehead like a shower nozzle as I struggled to continue. Working out isn't usually my idea of fun, nor is it something that I do often. But now that I was part of a team of pilots, I had to stay in shape no matter how pointless it seemed. My back tightened against the now soaked leather pad of the bench-press as I exhaled furiously, my ears picked up the sound of rock n'roll from a nearby jukebox, I was determined to finish.

"Come on, come on…one more!" I barked in frustration.

Using the remainder of my strength, I hoisted the 180-pound weight above my head and made a loud _"CLANG!" _after setting them back into place. Thirty-five reps seemed like a good workout to me, though envy replaced pride when I overheard Fox counting to 50 reps. I shrugged it off and stepped up from the machine trying to find the towel rack.

"Done already? You need to step it up a little Justin." Fox teased as he set his weights into positon.

"Yeah, yeah."

I dabbed my face with a plush cloth and took a look around the room. It was a sizable area with exercise machines of all kinds strewn about in clusters. The room itself was about 30x30 feet in length and width, not surprisingly considering it was located just below the ship's main corridor. As I checked myself in one of the large mirrors, I noticed that I was close to getting six-pack abs for the first time. Before joining Star Fox I pretty much possessed no abdominal muscle in the slightest. I wasn't athletic nor was I an aggressive person, so I saw no need to be toned like my brother. The most I did was stretch and flex with a medicine ball every once in a while, nothing too fancy. My face cracked into a slight grin as I outstretched my arms on either side of me; with each flex of the forearm, my sense of accomplishment grew.

"You call those muscles? Check these babies out!" Fox walked up beside me and flexed his arms in a dramatic "Atlas" pose, showing off every inch of his muscular frame. Despite wearing a tank-top, I could faintly make out abs protruding from his stomach.

"Pfff…show off. You should pose for 'All Muscle, No Brains' monthly." I snickered as I rotated my upper body in the mirror.

"Ha, is that jealousy I sense?" Fox chuckled with a coy smile.

"Nope, just relief." I retorted.

"Why is that?"

"Because I wouldn't want to be the idiot that hires you."

I could hear Falco and Krystal laughing hardily from the other side of the room,

"Ha ha ha ha ha! 'All Muscle, No Brains.' Good one!" Falco said in between laughs.

"Hey you with the ugly face, shut your beak." Fox ordered.

Falco suddenly froze midway through his weight-lifting for a few seconds and the room became eerily silent. He casually set the dumbbells on the floor and turned to face Fox, his eyes burning with anger.

"What did you just say?"

"_Oh God, here we go again." _ I thought.

Falco got so close to Fox's face that the end of his beak made contact with his nose, yet the orange fox didn't even flinch. Falco began to speak in a low and furious voice that kind of reminded me of Wolf,

"If you EVER… say that again, I'll knock you out and toss you through the airlock myself!"

"Heh, you and what army?" Fox challenged.

"_Big mistake." _I mused regretfully.

I noticed Falco's clenched fist began to shake rapidly, and his gritted teeth only added to the flame within him. I could only pivot my feet in such a position that would lend me a head-start in breaking up the fight. Suddenly he let out a very labored breath and relaxed his muscles,

"Pfft, whatever. This ain't worth my time. Just watch yourself from no on Fox." Falco said with an extended finger to Fox's chest.

Without drying himself off or acknowledging anything else, he stormed out of the room; leaving only the faint sound of the jukebox to keep the place alive. Fox, Krystal, and I exchanged wide-eyed looks in his absence.

"You shouldn't test his anger Fox, he looked ready to explode." Krystal warned.

"I'm not afraid of him. I knew he wouldn't try anything." Fox retorted casually.

"Maybe so, but it was still out of line."

"Krystal, don't worry so much. He'll just sulk for the rest of the day and the next thing you know…bam! He's back to the lone wolf we all know and love."

She only sighed and went back to stretching and curling in various poses. I guiltily did a few double-takes as she did this however. Then out of nowhere, my ears picked up the sound of crying from outside the room. It sounded just like my mother, and frightened me severely.

"Di…did you guys hear that?" I asked, my voice trembling.

"Hear what?"

I shifted my eyes to every corner of the room but found nothing. I could now officially say that I was being haunted by my nightmare; I needed to go home and see if everything was alright, I needed to see my mom.

"Justin what's wrong? You're shaking." Krystal asked, concerned.

"Dude, you look like you've seen a ghost or something." Fox added.

I shook my head rapidly in an effort to drown out the noise in my head and turned to face a window. With every soft exhale, the reality of my decision began tug at me; what an idiot I was for leaving everything I knew behind. No, I can't live knowing that my family is suffering back home, I needed to go back. A far off star twinkled in my eye, calling out to me, telling me to act fast; I nodded my head and started to walk out of the room without a word.

"Justin, what's wrong with you? Speak up." Fox said. I didn't even spare him a passing glance.

"Justin! Answer me!"

Fox grabbed my arm firmly just as I crossed the threshold into the elevator. I turned around and slanted my eyebrows,

"I'm going home."

"What? But…you are home."

I pressed a button and the elevator came to life. As the doors slowly closed, Fox's expression became very disillusioned.

"No, not yet."

The elevator ride was absolute torture as I impatiently pounded my fist against its' metal wall, demanding that it rise faster. This bore no fruit and the elevator slowly ascended. I kept repeating to myself, "Just hold on Mom I'm coming," in the strange spot I was in: alone in an elevator after you just basically told your captain to shove it. Of course, I had no intention of leaving without saying goodbye, I only wanted to depart for a day or two that's all. Easier said than done…

I jolted as soon as the elevator stopped and the shutters opened. Without hesitation I sprinted down the corridor and into the lounge, towards my room. Not even acknowledging Slippy, who was still waiting for that rematch in V.C.E.

"Jeez dude, what's got you in such a hurry?" Slippy mused.

I didn't even turn my head and leapt over the side of the large piece of furniture like Spider-Man; with my eyes on the bedroom, I opened its' door and began looking for my flight-suit.

"Ah, here it is." I said as it hung in the closet.

"Hey Justin what's up? You didn't even say 'hi'."

"Hold on a second Slippy." I called out.

Sliding the jumpsuit and gloves on my body, I only needed my head-mounted communicator. The metal device fit around the back of my head like a hat, with a small screen that extended in front of my right eye. The casing had two large openings for my ears that stuck up from the sides of my head; I gave one last nod to myself in the mirror and headed out to the other room. Soon after, Fox and Krystal emerged from the entrance and rushed towards me. Them and a very confused Slippy stood blocking my way out,

"Okay Justin…just calm down, and tell me why you're wearing your flight suit." Fox pressured.

"Look Fox, I…I really need to leave. I'm sorry."

"Why now all of a sudden?"

"You wouldn't understand it if I told you." I said looking down.

"Try me."

I exhaled profoundly and looked back up at him. I didn't know how he would react to something as childish as a nightmare.

"I got…pinged by a ghost the other night, so to speak. I saw my mom crying and…it just felt so real."

Fox raised an eyebrow and I continued,

"She was sobbing and begging me to return home. I realize now that I was selfish for leaving in the first place."

I turned to the large viewing window and saw the star again, this time it was brighter.

" I just want to make sure she's okay. Please Fox."

Fox's ears drooped,"But we need you here. I don't want to lose a good pilot."

"I could never turn my back on you guys, not after all that you've done for me. All of you have been the only friends I've had in a long time."  
They all smiled and I reached down to bump Slippy's hand, who happily returned the motion.

"You're a good man Justin, I'd hate to lose you." Fox said as I gripped his hand.

"I just need a day or two, that's all. And if you need me to come back just give me a call."

Fox thought for a moment with a slightly hesitant look on his face.

"So I guess that rematch will have to wait huh?" Slippy asked, disheartened.

"Slippy, no matter how much I practice you're always gonna be better than me. Last night was just luck. Don't worry, you're on once I come back."

He smiled widely and nodded his head. Meanwhile, Fox looked back up and grinned slowly,

"Alright, you can leave whenever you're ready." He said.

"Heh heh, thanks Fox. This means a lot to me."

I then turned to Krystal who was still dressed in her workout clothes and took her hand. Without saying a word, we both shared a loving kiss in broad daylight. But neither of us cared what they thought.

"_I won't be long Krystal, I promise." _I told her in my mind.

"_You've been so good to me. I'll miss you Justin."_

"_Hey look at it this way, I can finally tell my mom that I found a girl that likes me!"_

I heard Krystal chuckle in my head as she hugged me tighter,

"_I hope your mother is okay. Be careful." _She said softly.

Our lips slowly pulled away and I gently stroked her cheek in farewell. I wanted to make sure she would be alright while I was gone. With that I passed through the entrance to the corridor and turned to face the group one last time.

"Good luck Justin. Keep your comms on alright? That's an order." Fox said with a grin.

I nodded to them, gave a two-fingered salute, and walked out the door. Following a set of stairs to the lower deck, I came upon the long and seemingly endless hallway that lead to the hangar bay. I paused for a moment and took in a few breaths, ready to conquer this beast. From the amount of times Fox and co. managed to run to the end of this thing, I was surprised that they weren't out of breath by the time they climbed into their Arwings. With nothing stopping me, I broke into a fast run down the corridor as each set of light's blazed past my face.

"Hold on Mom, I'm coming. Just hold on…" I panted as the running didn't cease.

Before long I was inside the massive room where the Arwings were suspended off the ground from the ceiling. There were four ships, mine was at the left end of the room. I quickly walked over to a control console and lowered my ship to ground level with a few button presses. Stepping into the cockpit, I flicked a few switches and the ship roared to life. My HUD display once again read green in every area and I steadied myself for takeoff, I was surprisingly excited to be going back, I just hadn't seen my mom in a while.

"Justin, you are cleared for takeoff. May I assist you further before departing?" ROB's voice suddenly came online through my communicator and kind of startled me.

A little shaken, I gripped the controls,

"Yeah can you give the coordinates to Planet Earth?" I asked.

"Searching…Searching…Aquired." ROB sounded.

"Planet Earth: Sol Cluster, approximately 3.2 AU's from current location. Lightspeed vector 11257. Coordinates sent."

"Thanks ROB." I said.

"Affirmative Justin, Farewell." ROB answered bluntly as the comm was severed.

With the ship powered on, I automatically jerked the accelerator forward and ignited the thrusters. That unique flying sensation enveloped my body as the Arwing rose up, and blasted off through the hangar doors. I slowed the ship to a halt beside the Great Fox as I tried to bring the coordinates on screen.

"Search, previous transmission…there we go." I muttered as the planet showed up on screen.

With what seemed to me like a mere flick of the wrist, I set a course towards the blue planet.

"I'll be there soon Mom, I promise." I told myself anxiously.

The engines were primed and the course was set, all that remained was a button press. But it wasn't just any button, it was a tempting red one that said "Caution" above it. The first time I experience hyperdrive, I felt nauseous afterwards and couldn't sleep; not to mention I felt like my body was being twisted and contorted wildly. I brought my index finger inches away from the button, and counted down…3…2…oh crap, 1…! After that, I blasted off to infinity and beyond.

"Is the target in sight?"

"Yes, I'm cloaked right behind him. He doesn't suspect a thing."

"Good, good. Just make sure you bring him to me intact. I want to see that pitiful face of his before I tear him apart."

"No problem brother, consider it done. Kale out."

**Dun, dun, dun, dunnn…Aren't cliffhangers awesome? Just bear with me for now, you'll understand in the next chapter. Until next time my friends. **


	7. Mysteriously Azure

**I've decided that this is where Justin's journey will end…but another is just beginning!**

**Simply read on my friends, and the truth will become clear. Justin finally got his wish of having a chance at love and being a pilot that he so desperately hoped for throughout his life. But it is the very fire burning in his heart that will lead him to a matter of life or death… And who is this mysterious cloaked individual intent on his capture? Let's find out!**

**Final Chapter: Mysteriously Azure**

"Kale, Report!"

"Damn! You don't have to yell!"

"Shut up! Now do you still have eyes on the one called "Justin?"

"Affirmative. He's proceeding to a blue and green planet. And may I ask? Why is he so important to you?"

"He has a power within him. A power that's very…intriguing."

"Hmph. You always were the cryptic one little brother."  
"That's 'Wolf' to you Kale. Don't make me remind you again."

Before I drew closer to the Earth, a thought suddenly crossed my mind, a thought that made me slow down my Arwing,

"Damn…if I try to enter the atmosphere now, I'll probably be targeted instantly once I pass by the satellites. Heh, how ironic, this is my homeworld yet if I try to enter looking the way I do, I'll be shot on sight."

I clenched my fist at the notion. How silly of me to forget the way humans react towards aliens…like myself. I've seen all the whacked-out theories and speculations on the existence of life beyond Earth, and now I'm the very thing they seek to expose.

"There has to be a way. I can't just sit here and risk being spotted."

As I swiveled my head around the cockpit, looking at the various displays and energy meters, something caught my eye. It was a small screen that read, "CLOAKING CHARGE" with a transparent outline of the Arwing beneath it. I satisfyingly grinned,

"I guess the answer is always staring you straight in the face. But how long will it last?"

After pressing the display, its' ten-inch long energy meter started depleting gradually. It wasn't inconveniently fast so as to render it useless but it made me realize that I could only use the ability in short bursts. Nevertheless, I had a way of getting to the surface of the planet. With some careful observation I saw the North American continent just a few meters to the left of my current heading. But my heart sank when I saw the Int. Space Station looming just above it, getting past them without exposing myself for even a _second_ would be a challenge, despite having the cloaking device. To me, the station didn't appear to be in motion but a common fact was that the station orbited the Earth closely. The structure's large, solar panels jutted out from a white tube that spanned the station's length, with viewing windows all around it. If this is all that stood between me and seeing my family again, I could care less if they had to speculate on seeing another UFO for several years to come. With a steady hand, I revolved the ship's bow to face below the station and towards the continent.

"I'll worry about finding my house later. Right now I just need to get down there."

I sighed, pressed the cloaking display again, and gunned the throttle.

Everything in front of me seemed to blur as the engines crackled with a mighty roar. The intense speed shook me around like I was inside a blender, except wearing a safety belt. Soon I was close to the station and just about to pass under it without a trace; all I needed was just a few more minutes…but fate had other plans. Without even paying attention to my engine temperature an alarm started to wail about the cockpit, indicating that something was about to overload. Glancing at my HUD, I noticed the heat level of the thrusters was well into the red zone, and climbing fast.

"Shit, shit, shit!" I panicked. Swiftly grabbing the throttle, I pulled back on it in an effort to slow the ship down, even though my gut was telling me to speed into the atmosphere. The engines soon decelerated into a gentle hum, I wasn't about to have another burning deathwish on my conscience, let alone totaling one of their Arwings, _again._ To my relief, the space station was pretty far off behind me which left some room for patience,

"Alright…now to get down there." The words left my mouth lazily and seemed to bounce right off of the blue planet that was now in view. 'Out of the frying pan and into the fire' was the expression that came to mind as I stared onward with a firm grip of the flightstick. Even if I did manage to break through the atmosphere without a hitch, how the hell would I find my hometown let alone my house? It wasn't like I was looking at a Google map or something convenient like that, it was the real deal, all land and no boundaries. The sound of my mother crying continued to haunt me, even as I stood so close to my objective, my purpose. My eyes narrowed under furrowed brows wrapped in the gentle peace of the cockpit, this was it, now or never…My hand hovered over the throttle once again and remained still, couldn't say the same for my heart-rate.

"Let's see you squirm your way out of this one." Kale said, pulling his flightstick's trigger.

The Arwing rattled in a discourse of electricity, sparks danced around the cockpit's interior from every screen and switch, and my body fell forward onto the controls staining them with blood. It grew cold and dark…

"_So, any plans for today?"_

"_I'll probably just lift some weights later and see if Slippy's up for that rematch."_

"_That fight was pretty extraordinary, I still can't believe you defeated him."_

"_Neither can I, but if Jeggei's special attack missed I would have had no chance."_

I remember that morning, right after I had the nightmare. Krystal's voice was so beautiful…pulling me out of the depths of sadness, nothing can compare to it, nothing at all. But it was just a dream, slowly fading away as my eyelids peeled open. I couldn't tell where I was; some kind of holding cell maybe. The walls were steel gray and no more than ten feet in height and width. Illuminated by three fluorescent lights above me, I noticed that I was apparently floating in mid-air. My legs were spread slightly apart and my arms were extended at shoulder height, though it scared me with how motionless they both were. I couldn't move them even if I tried. They were being held down by something, yet all I could see were platinum cufflinks emitting a pale blue glow. In fact my whole self was engulfed in this light but for some reason, I could still move my head around. Whoever placed me here wanted to be sure that I could take in every disheartening detail of the cell, no windows, no food, no escape. Why didn't I just push the throttle? I could have escaped whomever was tailing me; instead I had to be a pussy and wait for something to happen. I began to think about Krystal, and my mom most of all, I let them down again, I promised them I would be back… My eyes soon dripped with tears as a hole was pierced straight through the heart, as if I'd been holding it in for years, everything came pouring out. I just sat there sobbing, unable to accept the reality as everything I loved seemed to drift away, I failed them; and now they'll suffer because of it.

"Well Wolf, is this who you wanted?" A voice from nearby suddenly asked.

I lifted my head up immediately and was struck with absolute fear, outside the barred gate of my cell stood Wolf and another dark-furred lupine with scarlet eyes. Wolf's face slowly formed an evil smile, he had plans in store for that would most likely leave me dead. I could only stare in horror as I heard his menacing voice,

"You're mine Justin. All…mine."

"What do you want from me Wolf? Just let me go!" I pleaded. He only cackled in response.

"Your power, I want your power…" Wolf began, "And nothing will stop me from taking it."

"You're wrong!" I shot back in anger. "Star Fox will come for me!"

"Heh heh heh, we'll see what happens after I tear the very flesh from your bones!"

**Meanwhile, back at the Great Fox:**

"Justin? Is that you?" I could sense his thoughts from somewhere. They were cold, and afraid, I could feel his sadness. I wasn't about to lose him again, so I reached for my flight suit and made a dash for the hangar. I knew he was out there, somewhere far, even if I didn't know of my true destination. But I was determined to find it, no matter the circumstance.

"I'm on my way Justin, be strong for me, be strong."

To Be Continued…


	8. The Wind of the East

**The Wind of the East**

My feet were dug into the sand, that way the waves would be just out of reach. Time marched on as I looked to the chokingly dim horizon. I didn't fear death, only what I could leave behind. My strength is finite, as is the world in view, and so the waves gently crest the shore. I shivered as the waters neared and gritted my teeth, it was nothing. As the clouds gathered above the cerulean ether, I could hear tenants spoken in whispers. They were subtle yet powerful, fervent yet meaningless. I listened and they spoke,

"_Now snared in contest of fate and faith; silent like the forest, swift as the wind."_

With that, my blades cleaved the darkened heavens, and the world became clear.

The dream had ended, but I still felt lifeless. The hazy musk of my cell became strong enough to irritate me, strong enough to cough away the relaxing waves I had felt before. But was it just a short while ago? It felt like I had only just closed my eyes. It wasn't much comfort to finally peel them open, all was dark. I was hopefully the only living thing in the room, though I wasn't eager to reach out my hands and find the answer. I couldn't stand up, nor did I want to. What was it that Wolf said to be ready for? Bastard. I could almost hear his rasping voice laughing nearby. Why wait this long? If he wanted to flay me in front of his crew than go through with it! As much as I wanted to get out of this cesspit, I was too weak to even consider a fight. Then again, if I hadn't pissed him off in our first meeting, I probably wouldn't be here. I was so goddamn close and yet he still finds me. What the hell does he want? I let out a weak sigh and tried to stand. My legs could barely take the weight; I fell back against the wall as the blood rushed down my limbs. At least my clothes were intact, and the jacket was a nice cushion against the metal or granite or whatever the walls were made of. I thought back to Star Fox, then to my home, so close. It was too late to ask for help now, they probably assumed the I found my way. I don't need their help, it's my problem, and I'll finish it one way or another. If I'm to be humiliated in front of Wolf's merry band but I can walk out alive, the so be it.

My heart jumped at the sound of footsteps, lightly padding their way down the hall. I couldn't see who it was, but the movements were too soft to be Wolf or his brother. They stopped, and I could hear breathing, it was almost blithe. My throat was too dry to form words, and I found myself coughing in response to this new presence.

"Good thing you're still alive. The boss was getting worried." It was a woman's voice, she spoke softly as if someone else was ready to follow her in. A few switches clicked and the lights dimmed. I had to shield my eyes at first, even though I wanted to see this person. I stumbled as I tried to ask a dozen questions, nothing came out but labored breaths.

"Wh…who…who are you?" I asked, letting my eyes adjust. The figure I saw outside the bars wasn't human. From what I could tell she had sharp ears and grey fur. I could make out violet eyes but little else.

"Here, drink this. It'll keep you on your feet." I saw her hold out a canteen. I thought at first that it could be poisoned but I still grabbed it, feeling ferociously thirsty. Water. I nearly shivered as I gulped it down; it had a clean taste to say the least. But it was all I could hope for.

"Thanks…" I grunted, heaving with my new strength. My vision cleared up even more, and I could finally see the visitor. She could've been a cat or a fox or some other mammal, but she had a distinct, pointed muzzle and small ears like a terrier. The fact she came in at all was more of a concern, and I asked again who she was.

"Just call me Roux, and you're Justin…right?"

"Yeah," I swallowed hard, "did Wolf spread the word or something?" I could see her smirk a little.

"Pretty much, although most didn't believe him at first. The others came in while you were out cold." How many more of them were there? I shuddered at the thought of meeting the family.

"You're with his crew, aren't you?" I said. Roux shrugged,

"That I am. He took me in a few years ago, and I've been running jobs for him since then. But don't think that I was the one who took out your ship, that was Kale, the Boss's brother."

"Do you know what he wants with me?" I feared the answer would be painful.

"Only that I bring you to him, but I don't know what he has planned." I was kind of relieved to hear that, he doesn't want me dead after all. As it happened, Roux pushed a few buttons on a console and the bars were lifted,

"Come on, you better eat up before you speak to the Boss. He won't give you a break afterwards, I can promise you that."

"I wouldn't put it past him." I replied, and followed her lead out of the cell. The girl took me to an alcove in the room, just beyond the hall to what was hopefully the exit. It had a chair, among other decrepit mops and buckets that leaned against the wall. It was kind of cramped, but just enough to be out of sight if anyone approached. Roux turned back to the console and produced a small tray with a lid,

"These are my spare rations. Wolf said not to give you anything but…just eat it quickly." I opened the tray to find some bits of meat, at least I thought it was, dry lettuce, and these small things that looked like grapes. It was like a banquet to me, but I hesitated to dig in.

"Why? It's your food isn't it? I mean, I appreciate the offer and all, but why do you care?" Roux sighed and stole a glance down the hallway, checking for movement.

"You weren't awake, but I was there when they first took you in. You were bleeding pretty bad, and the Boss was just dragging you around like a carcass. Saying how he couldn't believe this 'meat' caused him so much trouble. I've seen crazier stuff than this, but it wasn't fun to watch him insult you." I clenched my fist and nearly chucked the tray.

"Then what?" I asked.

"Then… well, he locked you in here." Roux seemed to notice my scars, which weren't fully healed, but looked away just as quick. Her eyes told me that she knew who they came from. She spotted the emblem on my jacket, even more surprised. "You're with Star Fox? I didn't know they had new recruits." I found myself chuckling as I thought back to the beginning. Those damned flight tests…I knew that I wasn't meant to be among them, but it was still a great ride.

"Well, not really. I'm a friend to them, but I'm far from official. I was actually about to head home and then…this happened." Roux cocked her head, puzzled by the story.

"Heh, Fox can't seem to hold his own anymore, huh?"

"Oh no, it's not that. I just…didn't belong with them. So I left, but it seems I have to settle Wolf's problem first." I carefully took a slice of the meat and bit off a part, wincing at the odd taste. It was passable enough, so I finished off the rest as much as I could. My body adjusted to the new energy as I chewed, and the notion of fighting felt like a reasonable gambit. If there wasn't a way out, then I'd fight. He's wounded me enough already, I've got nothing to lose at this point. A youthful anger flared within me, and I was willing to take the chance.

"Somehow, I can't imagine the Boss would kill you while you carry those scars. The fact that you survived must mean something to him." Roux said. I took another swig of the canteen, feeling my chest flutter.

"I wasn't alone that day. My friend was with me."

* * *

Krystal maintained a stagnant gaze on her flight path, fingers trained on the Arwing's weapon triggers. All systems were in the green, no shield loss, power supply was intact; if it wasn't for the stress she felt, this could've been a lazy cruise through Lylat's star fields. But something was tugging at her mind, a presence, a feeling of dread. She wondered whether it was a good idea to leave so quickly, and was it just her senses playing tricks? No. It was ingrained within her, more than an inclination to follow sign of danger.

"Alright, I've got a lock on his Arwing's energy signature; it looks like he hasn't left the system" Fox's voice startled Krystal out of focus. She looked to her right wing to make sure she hadn't drifted too close to him, but she was thankful that her fears weren't unfounded. "The reading's pretty weak, but it's just enough to raise a flight path."

"I sense his trail, we shouldn't waste time." Krystal replied, feeling a tinge of anger. Fox was reluctant to try and follow a shadow, but she wouldn't take anyone else but him; someone that seemed to have faith in Justin's survival as much as she did.

"Heh, I figured you would be the first to say that we should be careful." Fox said as the information congregated at her console. "We don't know who or what he crossed paths with. If it's privateers we're dealing with, then this will get ugly real fast."

"He's not helpless, Fox. You of all people should know that by now, since _you_ trained him." Fox was silent for a moment.

"Yeah, but that's what worries me. I don't want him acting reckless thinking he has the skill to back it up. He can hold his own, but he's still a rookie." Fox veered off of Krystal's flank and she followed, feeling relieved that they had something to go by beyond her acuity. As much as she wanted to disagree, Justin was still a whelp in that regard. It wasn't all for nothing, she thought. _At the very least, let him prove his own strength, that his journey with us wasn't a waste. _ His presence in her mind grew thicker, and she followed Fox's lead to their target: Fichina.

"If that's the case, then I'm glad you came along." She said.

As I trailed Roux down the corridor, I wondered if I was being sentenced to death. Though the hallways grew brighter as we left the cell area, it didn't boost my confidence too much. The way I saw it, two things could happen; I would either be humiliated in front of Wolf and his crew then let go, or I'd be humiliated and then torn to pieces. I tensed my muscles in a vain attempt to be steely. No matter what, Wolf's claws would rip through me. All I had was my will to live, which probably wouldn't be much without an ally. Roux didn't seem to be interested in helping; if she was Wolf's subordinate like she claimed. I decided then that my best bet was to avoid a fight if possible, and convince Wolf to let me go. I ruled out the possibility of an invite to his crew; just thinking about it sounded ridiculous.

The two of us passed through another set of doors and emerged in a much larger rec room. The silver vixen urged me to move along as some recruits turned away from the TVs to notice us. Some growled, others couldn't believe I was alive. They were dressed in flight suits much like Roux was, and sported the same Star Wolf emblem. I saw one burly member rise from his seat as we left the room, and I kept my eye on the door before Roux spoke to me again,

"The Boss is waiting in there," she said, pointing to a set of blast doors nearby, "whatever happens, just be careful." I watched as she typed at another console and the doors slowly reared themselves apart, exuding jets of steam. I took one last look at her and found myself smirking; she was definitely a looker. But she probably belonged to Wolf given the circumstances.

"Thanks for the help, Roux, I don't know what would have happened if I didn't meet you." I said, shaking her paw. Oddly enough, she patted my shoulder in return,

"Don't sweat it. If nothing else, you've got guts for facing him." I smiled, but didn't move through the doors. If felt better to stay in the hallway, just Roux and I, and we'd shoot the breeze until Wolf thought I was dead. I knew I couldn't, but she was still a worthy friend. The girl seemed to sensed my fear and smiled back,

"Just head in, I'll be following." I nodded, feeling a confidence that didn't exist when I first awoke here. I swallowed and stepped through the doors, half-expecting to be ambushed like before. A short hallway opened up into a spacious garage type area, judging from the sizable hangar doors that abated the swirling blizzard outside. A few land shuttles and Wolfens rounded out the vehicular arsenal, as well as many cages that were stocked with weapons and supplies. I had half a mind to 'acquire' some of their hardware, but a familiar snarl from nearby froze me in place. Turning to my left, I saw my worst fears made real; Wolf and a few dozen of his recruits stood above the ground on catwalks and raised platforms, looking down on Roux and I. It was a menagerie of deadly canids, avians, and even a few reptiles, regarding me hungrily, including Wolf himself. I had the urge to run, but Roux quickly gestured me to follow her lead as she approached the group. Wolf cracked an even toothier smile when he saw that she was with me, and dismounted a few railings to reach our level.

"Well I'll be damned, the meat sack lives!" He yelled, his voice echoing through the hangar. The burly canine approached Roux first, yanking her into a kiss as he groped her chest. The audience erupted with 'ooh's and wolfish whistles. I sighed, feeling even more sickened with anger. Then again, it seemed appropriate for a man of Wolf's stature. For a moment the two of them stared at each other in their embrace, wordlessly content as Wolf stroked the vixen's light hair. He then turned and cut me with his one good eye, slowly advancing.

"How's it going, my friend? Long time no punch, huh?" I said nothing, and he chuckled. "Look, I hate to be so forward with you, but, you're fucking nuts if you think you're just gonna walk away from me so easily." Wolf took a few steps and cracked his knuckles; some of the recruits even began recording the event. I looked to Roux, then back to my enemy.

"What are you after, Wolf?" I said, still waiting for him to charge. He chuckled again and relieved the kinks in his neck. The others were whispering amongst themselves, probably deciding on a good bet.

"Now that's an easy one, to rearrange your face!" He flinched forward and I instantly raised my fists, but he didn't move. The cohorts rang with laughter as Wolf covered his eyes, unable to contain himself. I was murderously intent on scarring him like he did to me, but I waited to see if he had other plans.

"Come on, buddy. Lighten up for a bit!" Wolf said, walking towards me, "I actually wanted to extend an invitation. Call it a gift, if you want, for standin' up to me like a man." As he got closer, I realized just how well built he was. Though a bit shorter than me, it gave me little comfort if his claws could tear out my entrails in one swipe. "But before I do, why don't you join me for a little walk?" I was thoroughly confused; does he really want to fight? Either way, it was better than standing in front of a sneering crowd.

"Um, sure I guess." The burly canine walked alongside me, firmly grasping my shoulder; as if he was also trying to fight the urge to flay me. His eye was sharp like a blade, I could only imagine what he had in store. He smirked and started walking.

"I bet you're wondering by now, 'so Wolf, how did you find all this fresh blood?' Well the answer is simple, I know what the galaxy can do to you. More specifically, what the rancid shitholes that they keep common criminals in can do." As we walked, he kept waving his hand at his surroundings, regarding the vehicles, machines, weapons; as if they too were listening. "I know what it's like to have to fight for every credit you make, only to have it snatched away just like that." He snapped his finger. "This galaxy squeezes every last bit out of people like us, mostly me anyway. And so, I'm doing my part to give those poor souls a hand, and they fly under my wing. Pretty ingenius, right?"

"Definitely." I replied.

'Heh, I knew you were a sharp one." He shook me a little with a strong arm. "Anyway, what I'm trying to say is this; You've got some skills, but you'll be wasting them if you fly with Star Fox or whoever else. I can help you out, teach you things that no one else will. You'll be able to grab the galaxy by the neck and say you mean business. No one will give you trouble again, I can promise you that." Wolf stopped walking and turned to me, extending his paw,

"So, how does that sound? You in?" He asked. I said nothing and turned to one of the Wolfens; sleek and deadly like an assassin's cutlass. I knew firsthand the kind of firepower Star Wolf commanded, so it wasn't like I thought they were weak; far from it in fact. My mind lingered on Krystal, Star Fox, then…my home. How could I forget my mission? What the hell was I doing pretending that I could live so far away without the consequences? No, not anymore. I had seen enough of the galaxy beyond my home, but then I thought of the friends I had gained. I couldn't just leave them behind so quickly. They've granted me a strength that I could only dream of having, much less obtaining on my own. The pilots of Star Fox are among my closest allies, whom were few on Earth, and it was a worthy adventure to spend time with them. The kicker was that I'd not only be betraying my new friends, but also my family, if I were to agree to Wolf's deal. I turned back to him,

"No, not for anything." My heartbeat revved up fast. Wolf sighed and shrugged his shoulders.

"Alright then, a choice is a choice. Now here's mine." He grabbed me by the neck and lifted, his claws nearly piercing my skin. He then flung me across the metal floor in one swing, his comrades were cheering him on. I dizzily got to my feet as he approached, readying whatever strength I had. This was it; no one was helping me this time. I turned to Roux who was being restrained by some lackeys as she cried out for Wolf to stop.

'He's hurt, you bastard!" She shouted, "Why do you have to kill him here?"

"Roux, you don't know the half of it." Wolf replied, getting closer to me. I could feel my wounds starting to open again, but I shook the pain away. I wasn't running anymore, I'm ending this here no matter the cost.

_Krystal, wait for me. _

I pivoted my feet in the stance Fox showed me, trying to remember everything he imparted. I focused my gaze on Wolf, letting him make a move.

"You're mine, runt." Wolf snarled. I slowly bore my teeth as he charged, waiting for the first blow. I dodged his initial flurry and landed an elbow to his cheek, readjusting myself for the reprisal. He made a wide slash with his claws, barely missing my face, and whirled around with a kick. I ducked and landed some blows to the face, trying to stun him. Wolf dodged a punch and threw me to the floor with my arm. I rolled past each falling fist until I grabbed his boot, holding it just above my face while he tried to stomp it flat. I kicked him back and got to my feet. My balance was waning; I could feel it betraying me. Though the scars didn't feel like they were bleeding either. Could I really keep this up much longer? The recruits were yelling raucously at us, though I knew none were cheering for me. I made a split second decision to make a run for the weapon racks, and then hopefully to a Wolfen. I let Wolf charge at me again, jumping to the side and sprinting towards a set of rifles. Wolf was right on top of me by the time I grabbed one. I spun around and the butt of the gun connected with this nose. While he was dazed I hesitated to shoot, remembering that he too carried a reflector. He looked up and just laughed,

"Not bad at all, meat. But now you're really pissing me off." There was a glint in his eye and he shot towards me, landing a clean blow that knocked me against a land shuttle. I dove beneath his punches as I tried to create some distance. I had no idea he could use that dash so close. I realized that I dropped the rifle when he landed the hit, and just readied myself for his counter attack. I rushed in to try and keep him guessing, but his pure strength was enough of a defense. We locked hands and struggled to break one or the other. He was unbelievably more vicious up close, and I nearly faltered at the sight of his teeth. My arms shook violently, feeling as though they were close to snapping like twigs. His brute force was too much, there was no way I could break the deadlock that way. I tried to kick him back but he evaded and sent me to the floor with a low sweep. His claw collapsed around my throat as he sat on top of me, using his weight to stop me from moving. I grunted and lurched as he raised his free hand,

"You know, I thought you were smarter than this…I could've made you into a damn good pilot. But I guess you'd rather suck Fox's fat one instead." I gasped for air as I watched his claws extend, "See you in hell…Justin." In an instant, I felt like I did my best. I landed some hits, I held my own. Why should I feel bad? If this was my journey's end, then I was happy to know that I died a warrior's death. The waves felt closer than ever, and I braced myself for the tide to take me. Suddenly, the weight on me fell off, and I watched as an unknown fighter tackled Wolf to the ground. I sucked in air, regaining my vision and energy. I looked over and saw Fox sitting on Wolf, wailing on his face with unrelenting fervor. He growled and yipped profusely with each blow. The crowd didn't seem to enjoy it. I looked up and saw a familiar blue hand reaching for me, and I was pulled to my feet. In my brief daze, I thanked whoever helped me up; to which I was pulled into a tight hug.

"Good to…see you again, Krystal." I said, my voice was weak at first. The vixen pulled away and smiled, but quickly turned her blaster on the approaching mercenaries. She fired a few rounds at their feet, keeping them at bay.

"We may not have time for a reunion just yet." She said, smirking. Fox lifted Wolf off the floor and pushed him back, keeping his stance active. The lupine's face was bruised and matted, yet he still maintained a deathly snarl. I watched as the two of them circled each other, ears lowered, fangs flaring; it was like they instantly acknowledged their strength.

"Are you cooled off yet…Star Wolf?" Fox growled. Wolf's imposing form heaved with each breath, until he relaxed enough to speak,

"To be honest, things were just getting fun until you showed up." Roux and the others didn't advance further while Krystal trained her gun on them. Although I did notice a smile on Roux's face. I felt my scars to see if they were bleeding; they had cracked in some places, but they weren't exposed. I tried to get a sense of what just happened; it felt like déjà vu in a way. Then it hit me, Fox had me by the neck a few months ago, just like now. Yet this time, he saved me. The irony was only matched by the karma.

"We're leaving, and we aren't looking for a scrap with you now. Let's save that for later." Fox said, backing away.

"Heh, when that happens there won't be a 'later.'" Wolf sneered, cracking his limbs. "But fine, take him back for all I care. I wouldn't piss in his direction." I wanted to have the last word but given the situation, I was lucky to have a way out. I stole a glance at Roux who winked at me, giving a thumbs-up. I was sad to leave her so soon, but maybe I'll find a way to reach out to her once I get back. Krystal placed a hand on my shoulder and urged me to follow Fox out of the hangar. I looked back at Wolf's crewmen, most of whom were dumbfounded that I survived as long. I was glad to give them a show.

* * *

"Are you absolutely sure about this?" Fox asked. I was gathering my things from the room. It seemed like such a short time ago that the bed belonged to me. Soon enough, it'll be empty again, hopefully to be filled by a more capable pilot than I.

"Yeah, I am. You guys don't need me around to distract you. I knew from the start that I wouldn't be of much help." I said. Fox shook his head,

"How could you say that after all that's happened? You want to know what pissed me off most when you first got here, the fact that you had no confidence in yourself. I you go around acting like that, no matter where you go, you'll do nothing but dig your own grave." I smiled and slung the duffel bag over my shoulder.

"I know that's only part of it, Fox. And I'll be honest with you, I had a crush on Krystal, and I'm sorry that I tried to interrupt your bond with her." Fox looked surprised, "It was new for me, so I just went with what she wanted. But hey, maybe there's another Krystal out there waiting for me. You never know." I offered my hand to him, and he happily brought me in for a quick hug. To think that I was actually being hugged by one of the most revered heroes in the galaxy, I savored the feeling like a privilege.

"Hey, don't sweat it. I was a little hasty too. But I'm glad she met you anyway, I mean, you kept her company while I was busy, and I appreciate that." I patted his shoulder,

"Keep her safe, alright? I feel like you two are in for much tougher battles from here on." Fox nodded,

"Yeah, I hear you. Don't worry." I paused and collected my thoughts, this really was goodbye. Before he walked out the door I stopped him,

"If I don't see you again…I…Thank you, for all that you've taught me. I'll never forget it."

"What did I always tell you? If you've got the spirit, then you'll always have a chance to win. It'll make me happy if you take that with you, just like my father did with me."

"Count on it." I said, and we bumped knuckles. Outside in the common room, the crew was assembled to see me off. Slippy seemed to be taking it the worst as he tried in vain to stifle tears. I chuckled and knelt to his level, giving him a hug. His rotund form clung to me like glue, but I obliged him and didn't wriggle free until he was ready. I thanked him for the videogame nights, the tech talks and such, both of which he proudly imparted to me. Falco seemed a bit indifferent, but he still offered his wing to shake.

"Give em' hell, bud. It was cool to meet you." He said with a wink. I nodded, then moved on to Peppy.

"It's too bad that you can't stick around. But home is where the heart is, as they say." The old hare said, looking up at me as I thanked him. Finally, I arrived at Krystal, who didn't hesitate to pull me into a hug. I couldn't sum up everything that she did for me in just a few words, nor could I in a lifetime. Yet I was content just to share her warmth for one last moment. I pulled away and looked into her eyes, still azure and enchanting like before.

"Thank you…for, hanging out with me." I said, knowing that she could feel the rest of my emotions. It felt like I was meeting her again for the first time. No matter how much I talked with her, the fluttering in my stomach never went away when she was near. She nodded, and placed something in my hand. It was one of her silver pendants, with a jade stone in the middle.

"Keep this to remember me, always. I'm glad that I met you." She cooed. I had to fight back tears when I pulled away and saw them all in one place. I swallowed and cleared my throat,

"You guys are the best and…I hope we can…you know, meet again someday." I said. Fox shot me a wink,

"Count on it."

We had to cut the farewells a little short since the Great Fox's cloaking device was reaching it's limit. Afterward, Krystal and I flew down to Earth, right near the place where it began. This time, I reminded her to keep her staff. She snuck a kiss on my cheek before she took off, and I walked the steps to my front door soon after. At least Fox let me keep the jacket.

End


End file.
